Friday I'm in Love
by Ramblepedia
Summary: It all started with a simple note, passed on to Kurt by an out-of-place Warbler that had snuck into his school on his lunch break. "The Dalton Warblers formally invite you for coffee in our coffee lounge"
1. Tuesday: You Can Fall Apart

Tuesday: You can Fall Apart

* * *

Perhaps it would have been better if the short boy with the gelled back hair had taken off his uniform before they drove over to the local public school. McKinley. That was where the mysterious bright eyed stranger had come from. They'd found it out by Googling his name and discovering that Kurt Hummel was apparently a member of their competition. Which brought Blaine here today. The others involved (David and Wes - two teens who were always far too eager to get involved where their noses didn't belong) had voted that he be the one to go. Blaine had tried to get out of it at first because public schools were terrifying.

But then they'd watched another of the New Directions videos and he could just swear that those bright eyes were the greatest stand outs on the whole stage. He was just so beautiful.

The thing that had really changed his mind was one of the related videos. It had about 200,000 hits which was practically viral for an Ohio town like Lima. It was of that same bright eyed boy daring the bullies to get out from behind their screens and try saying things to his face. Blaine both cringed and sat up taller. It was so brave, so bold, so beautiful. And so very dangerous. As shown by the video's conclusion where someone sprayed his face with some kind of bright red slushie thing. As they laughed. As Blaine noted a great deal of the commenters were also, apparently, laughing (out loud).

Blaine had to go.

So he went.

He fixed his tie as he darted through the hallways. Apparently Dalton lunch break (plus the ride over - Wes had been driving since Blaine couldn't even get his permit for a few months yet) lined up with that in-between classes time at McKinley. Blaine noticed the varsity jackets first. All the giant guys seemed to be wearing them. It was kind of intimidating the way they walked in packs. Just wolf packs of varsity jacketed giants who could very easily put their fists right through his face.

There was one that was bigger than the rest though. He was the worst spy Blaine had ever seen. Kurt had stood out at Dalton but if they hadn't known his name from the show choir circles he would have been able to pass off his lie. This giant was peeking out around corners and from behind half open lockers. Blaine spotted him a mile away. And he looked scary. Well, actually he looked kind of dopey but his size and that jacket put up huge red flags in Blaine's book.

The small teen tried to duck around the massive flocks of girls and boys walking around as best as he could. He had no idea where to look for his bright eyed stranger. They knew where the choir room was based on maps but when he passed by the first door he didn't spy Kurt there. The second door produced the same results. And what was worse, the giant passed through the choir room and got a couple of what appeared to be cheerleaders to block the doors. They'd all seen him. And they were not happy.

He had to hurry.

It would be so much easier if he'd just gotten Kurt's number. He had certainly wanted to. But he hadn't. That was a huge mistake. Especially because Kurt was so, well, gay. Blaine didn't want to assume but he'd never met someone with a voice like that who wasn't. His own voice was something his dad had cited as a reason he couldn't be gay. But he was. He really, really liked men. He'd known that since he was very young and he'd wanted nothing more than to marry that prince from Beauty and the Beast. The one without a name but those unmistakable eyes. He just happened to be a dapper gay, apparently.

Kurt was the beautiful, flawless kind of man he expected to see on television. Hopefully not catty like that though. Blaine found himself highly turned off by men that acted like girls. He liked men after all, not girls. Especially catty middle school girls with no class. He'd had plenty enough of that at his own public school. Kurt didn't seem catty though. He hadn't really said much of anything yesterday actually. He'd just kind of stood there with that adorably goofy grin on his face.

The hulk kept following him. He also kept up those creepy half-attempts at hiding. Blaine took a deep breath and glanced back.

They locked eyes.

It took all his strength not to run as the man started to come towards him. He turned. And then there his goal was. Like a dream descended down from the clouds at just the right moment. Kurt Hummel. At his locker. Dressed in what Blaine could only assume was fashion. He was rocking it, definitely, but it wasn't something Blaine would ever consider for himself. Not that he thought much about clothes these days. He had his uniform after all.

Kurt seemed fixated on something down the hall. Blaine couldn't see what. He just hurried over and pressed his back up against the locker, trying so very hard to appear casual though he was sure his heart was pounding right out of his chest. This? This was crazy. It wasn't like he was asking the kid out on a date.

"Excuse me, can you help me?" he crooned out as calmly as possible. "I seem to be a bit lost." Kurt jumped at his sudden presence. Another giant teen that had been curving his path towards them veered away and passed them by.

"Blaine! What. What are you doing here!" He didn't have any of Kurt's attention. Kurt was watching the other giant boy. A suspicious knot churned around in his stomach.

"Well. I was sent to formally invite you to come have coffee at Dalton this afternoon and hang out with some of the Warblers, New Kid. It was really hard to find you though. I had to get permission to leave school for lunch and get a friend of mine to drive me over here so I could give you this." He pulled a postcard out of his pocket and held it out to Bright Eyes. The front had a picture of the very same stairwell they had met on. The back had some very well formed cursive:

 _The Dalton Warblers_  
 _formally invite you_  
 _for coffee in our coffee lounge_

"Wow. This...this really is formal." He brushed his hands over the school crest. It was imprinted in the paper.

"And this time you're actually invited. No more spying." He watched as the pale cheeks flared a little bit. It was just a hint of pink but it was kind of beautiful. "If you promise to come we promise we won't tell anyone about that by the way."

Kurt's hand clenched down tighter on the postcard. So tight he put a wrinkle in it. The Warbler tried his hardest not to let his heart crawl its way out on his sleeve. That was hard, of course. 'Bright Eyes' was only a half-fitting nickname. 'Piercing Bright Eyes' was more accurate. They cut deep. It was like they were searching deep inside his soul. Blaine had no idea what he was looking for though and apparently he wasn't about to share either.

"I'll be there. Uhm...where _is_ the coffee shop anyway. You dragged me all around that school and I didn't see any restaurants or stores. Trust me I'd remember if I saw one." If anyone was a walking billboard for gay - it was Kurt. Blaine tried really hard to keep his heart under control. It was kind of, well, _hot_ that he was so sure of himself.

"Oh it's...you know what, how about this." Blaine took the postcard back and fumbled around in his pockets for a pen. Then he carefully wrote out a phone number underneath the text. His handwriting wasn't quite as elegant. "That's my phone number. Why don't you give me yours and we can text each other. You tell me when you get there and I'll come get you and show you the way."

Kurt was silent for just a moment before he ripped off a piece of notebook paper and put his own number down. A bell rang out.

"If I don't go I'll be late for practice. Not that I'm missing much but I do have to perform with the rest of the boys."

"Your whole group doesn't perform together?"

"It's boys versus girls week. We're having a competition but without prizes this time because apparently we can't handle that."

"Oh. Uhm, ok? I guess I'll see you this afternoon."

"Yeah. See you." The locker shut with a quiet click instead of the loud clangs Blaine heard throughout the hallway. As the bright eyed spy headed up the hallway that giant from before all but ran up to him. Blaine braced himself, ready to go step in if need be. He was absolutely terrified, but he'd do it. If he really had to. If this kid who'd been slushied and who was sneaking around Dalton needed him to, he would.

Then the most amazing thing happened. They just talked. Actually they seemed to be arguing until Kurt showed him the postcard. Then they disappeared around the corner. Blaine thought that he saw the giant put his hand on Kurt's shoulder - and Kurt brushed him off with a laugh, of all things.

Wes and David tried not to pace as they waited for Blaine to finish up flirting (or whatever he was doing but their bets were on flirting) with the McKinley kid. They could hear a bright twinkling sort of laughter coming from both teens. The two had been in there for thirty minutes and Blaine had shown no signs of wanting them to come back. But they had pressured him into inviting this boy out here so they felt responsible if things went sour. Kurt was a public school kid and Blaine did have a history of issues with that sort of thing. They knew about how his Sadie Hawkins date had abandoned him to his fate.

Of course they wanted Blaine to be happy and find a nice boyfriend, but the key there was that he had to be nice. Not someone who was cute for a second then flaked out. Kurt...there were some stereotypes perpetuated by the society they lived in that did not bode well in his favor. They didn't want to judge him, of course, but they also wanted to protect their secret weapon singer now that they'd gotten him to a point where he was comfortable being center stage and proud enough of himself to do it. Also there was the small thing of him being the boy they'd taken under their protective wing at the beginning of last year. He'd bloomed well with them. They wanted him to keep blooming.

Wes grabbed onto Dave's sleeve and pulled him over to some chairs along the wall when he spotted the two getting up. They leaned in to watch as best as they could. Blaine's hand brushed over Kurt's shoulder. He definitely liked the public school spy. The way Kurt leaned into it had them suspecting that he liked their little Warbler star back.

"Text me, ok?" they heard Blaine saying. "I'm here for you. You're not alone Kurt."

"Thank you. Really. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"I think I do. I remember being where you are. I would have given anything just to have one person that got it. I promise I'm going to be there for you through this."

"Thank you. I...I'd really love to stay longer but I have to get some paperwork done at work before I make dinner. We're having a big family night for everyone since Carole, uh that's my Dad's girlfriend, might not be able to make it Friday night. I'm thinking Flammekueche...et pour désert? Une tarte tartin que je-j'ai cuit? La nuit dernière." The two had to cover their mouths to keep from giggling. They both knew that Blaine wasn't doing so hot in his French classes and there was his potential future boyfriend speaking French right at him. Something about food and some kind of pie that he'd made last night. It was, they had to admit, adorable.

Their short young friend floundered for a moment. The McKinley boy had to be well aware of what he was doing. He'd have to be an idiot not to. They were definitely witnessing flirtations in the form of announcing what he was making his family for dinner. And Blaine was falling for it.

"That sounds...exquisite?"

"Oh it will be. I'll...uhm, I'll talk to you later then." Blaine seemed to be in a daze as his new elfen friend darted away. Seriously - his skin was practically translucent and his ears stuck out. He was an elf. And noticed that Dave and Wes were watching and ducked his head and picked up his pace. But the grin never left his features.

"All of that and he has a job too? Maybe for your first date you could take him your French homework," Wes teased. "Unless you don't think learning the language of love together is romantic enough."

"My what!" Blaine exclaimed.

"Your _date_. You can't expect us to believe you aren't going to ask him out. You've been trying to get a boyfriend since you came here. And one just dropped almost literally onto your lap."

"I am _not_ going to ask him out!"

"Blaine," David sighed from his other side. "Why not?"

"Well one, I don't know if he's single. I mean. It's likely he is but it's very possible he's seeing someone at McKinley and they're so on the down low no one knows about it. Uhm. He uh...Er."

"He's not still in the closet is he? You seem to always go after all the boys that don't want anyone to know. You really need to stop that. Its too messy and breaks too many hearts. Mostly yours from getting shot down again and again and-"

"No! He's out. He's very... _very_ out. But he's the only one."

"So your only hold up is not knowing if he's seeing someone else? The worst that could happen is he'll say 'sorry Blaine but I have a boyfriend.' Trust me. I've had plenty of girls tell me that. It's not a definite no forever - just keep an eye out and when he breaks up, well...maybe you can just swoop on in and heal his heart and make him yours."

"Guys he's not in a place for that! What he needs right now is friends. People who are going to support him through what he's going through at McKinley. I don't know if he's alone there, I mean I think he has friends. He was hanging out with some guy in a varsity jacket earlier. Varsity jackets usually mean popular kids though it could be a fluke. But he feels alone there. I don't want to make him potentially feel uncomfortable with me too, ok? He needs me right now. What he doesn't need is the pressure of someone flirting with him or hitting on him or the pressure of having to make someone happy in a relationship, and I can't have a one-sided relationship you guys know me. He needs a friend who gets it."

"...That's why he was here, huh?" Wes asked. "He's just like you?"

" _Just_ like me."

"...I actually feel like we need to apologize for thinking bad things about him now. You know, after that boy flaked out on you-"

"I don't blame him. If I could have run, I might have too. I mean, I did run, as soon as I could. I came here. He's still at that school."

"Deeper in the closet than you ever were."

"Yes. For his own protection. Its for the best in his case. His family is way too poor to send him here and...and that school, it's...it's not safe. I would know."

"Does he blame you? For what happened?" Blaine fell silent and let them make of that what they would. He just didn't want to talk about his almost middle school boyfriend. It hadn't ended well and he just wanted to put the past behind him. He wanted to move on.

"Point is, Kurt's not like that. Or even if he is, I won't blame him. But I don't think he is. He needs support. Can we give him that?"

"Sure," David said. "Actually why don't you invite him out to karaoke tomorrow? You know, a bunch of the guys are going to be bringing dates. Not that he has to be a date. Just a friend, properly invited to hang out with some new friends and get to know us informally, and just kick back and relax with someone who gets it."

"...Ok, I'll do that. But _no one_ had better say anything about it being a date. It's not a date!"

"Of course. It's not a date."


	2. Wednesday: Break My Heart

Wednesday: Break My Heart

* * *

Finn would never have predicted, in all his life, that there would ever be a day when he couldn't take his eyes off Kurt. But here it was. He'd been worried since Monday. He hadn't said anything but he'd noticed how hard Puck's words had hit his...well, his brother. Kurt was basically his brother. Every other day they were at the Hummel house. On the other days they all had dinner at the Hudsons. He had no problems with telling people that their parents were dating and that made them brothers.

No one had given him crap about that in a long while.

Which had admittedly freed him up to pay a bit more attention to what was going on with this brother of his. He knew things that no one else knew. Like the bruises Kurt hid from the world. Underneath his layers. As though the layers would be enough cushion to stop new ones from blooming every time he was thrown across the hall into a locker. His skin lost those battles.

Thing was, Finn just didn't know what to do. They'd always just taken the bullying. All of them. They helped each other wash the slushies off and they walked to class together but they dealt with it themselves.

But there was something new this week. And it was Puck's fault.

There had been a Dalton boy in their school yesterday. Worse, the Dalton boy had been a Warbler blackmailing Kurt into coming back. At least that was Kurt's worries and Finn was inclined to believe the worst of all the other teams out there. So far they hadn't met a single nice one.

Now he didn't want to put Kurt down or keep him from finding a boyfriend. That definitely wasn't his intentions. He just wanted to keep Kurt and that Warbler from being the next Rachel and Jesse. The egging video had made it to YouTube and the show choir blogosphere. It was rather likely they'd seen it and Kurt was their most vulnerable teammate right now. Sure they could have gone after any of the girls but...well he kind of thought Puck was right about it being an all gay school. It was all boys after all. Finn wasn't stupid, he knew that there were all boys schools all over the country and those boys weren't _all_ gay. Sam had been to one. But if Kurt was their chosen 'in,' then Puck probably had a good point.

And that wasn't even the worst part. Come Tuesday night, Kurt seemed to be falling for it. He'd been texting all day. Well, at least all the time when Finn was able to watch him. They didn't have all their classes together. Just English actually. And lunch. It was lunch that had him peering over Kurt's shoulder.

"Who's Blaine?" Finn expected the jump. What he didn't expect was the cringe. The way Kurt curled defensively on himself before he shoved his phone away and straightened himself back out and crossed his leg in that fancy European style of his as though it had never happened.

"He's no one, Finn."

"Is he that kid that was in here yesterday?"

"...He's no one."

"Kurt, talk to me. Are they still blackmailing you? Because we can fight that."

"What? No!"

"Kurt please I just want to help." His friend bristled. Kurt always managed to double his size, it seemed, when he was angry. Despite Finn being a giant it always made him nervous when Kurt got like this. He was pretty sure the smaller teen could take him, whether Kurt knew it or not. He had a strength, deep inside. Finn had seen it at football practices - a strength no one had expected. And he remembered Kurt cheering at those basketball games. He could hold up girls by himself when he wanted to.

"Really? Maybe you could help by telling Karofsky to leave me _alone_." The small teen hopped up and started to stomp away. Finn didn't let up.

"You know he won't listen to me, he's a...an idiot. A big stupid idiot."

"That's redundant."

"What?"

"Nevermind."

"The point is, I can't do anything about Karofsky. But this is something I can help with. If the Warblers are blackmailing you-"

"They aren't! It might surprise you, Finn, but they actually want to be my friends."

"Oh, friends huh?"

"Yes, _friends_. The blackmail thing was a misunderstanding. Blaine was trying to make a joke. He's kind of awkward like that sometimes."

"Sometimes? How much have you two been talking?"

"It doesn't matter. Finn, he's a great guy, and he gets me, ok? He just wants to be my friend." That stopped the giant in his tracks. 'He gets me.'

"You like him." Kurt spun back on his heels.

"What?! No. I just met him!"

"Didn't stop you from zoning in on Sam when you first met _him_."

"I was trying to figure out if he was gay or just dying his hair for other reasons. I deserve a chance to have everything the rest of you have, don't you think?"

"Yeah but you don't have a right to be a creep about it. You have a real problem with that. Just going after people like...like..."

"The way you went after Rachel? The way Artie went after Tina? Talk to them, maybe hit on them a little, try to get a feel for things, see if there is a shot. Even if there isn't being so hopelessly infatuated with them that you can't help but still bother them just because they're so attractive it nags at you and actually kind of hurts that they'll never be with you? That you're going to be completely alone while everyone around you gets to have that special someone that gets them."

"Its...Kurt, its different with guys."

"Gee, I'm sorry I happen to have a hard time not acting like a boy." Kurt glanced down for effect. "Oh wait, I _am_ a boy. I can't act like a girl, that's not who I am. I'm just like you. I just happen to like men."

"Kurt this is going to get you in serious, serious trouble. You can't keep doing this, especially not _here_." He knew his words would hurt but someone had to say them. Kurt was going to hit on the wrong guy one of these days and get killed for it. Finn had seen it in a movie or something. The last thing he wanted was for a guy who was like a brother to die just because he was a bit flirtatious. Not to mention the trouble it caused for the New Directions. But mostly that dead thing. "First, what if Blaine isn't even-"

"He is."

"Are you sure?"

"He _told_ me."

"Ok, fine. So he is. But what if he's just trying to use you to tear us down?"

"He's not like that!"

"Rachel thought Jesse-"

"Blaine is _not_ Jesse, Finn, and besides we're not going to date! I _just_ met him two days ago! Yes there's the possibility in the future, sure. But I don't want to just run around with anyone I could. I want it to really _matter_." His voice dropped to a hissing whisper. "Why do you think I liked you?" Things got way too personal way too quick but Kurt didn't relent. "You were the only guy in this school who treated me with any kind of decency. And last year, that was good enough for me. To play with the idea that someone might, I don't know, not push me when they walked past. That was what I considered myself worth then. Now I'm not saying you aren't still a catch but my standards have changed a bit since then and I respect myself a hell of a lot more and who knows if Blaine will be able to meet them. I won't just settle for someone just because he's got a gorgeous voice and looks like a dream. I need to know that he's actually going to be someone who will love me and accept me for all of who I am."

If people weren't staring so much Finn might have kept things going. But the entire hallway was casually peeking around their open lockers, or up from their cell phones, just to try and catch a glimpse of this. He could see some of the other football players laughing and pointing at them. No doubt he'd hear no end to the 'lovers quarrel?' jokes at practice today. Even with Puck, Artie, Mike, and Sam to back him up. Especially Sam. That kid wasn't the least bit scared of calling people out on their homophobia. It was kind of awesome.

"I just...Kurt I don't want you to get hurt, ok? I do care about you you know. Like a brother."

"...Finn, I know, but you have to trust me. I'm not an idiot. I'm not going to let them hurt me."

"Ok. Ok. I will. I do." He held his fist up and Kurt actually bumped him back. "So the guys were thinking we could meet up at your place and work on our performance after school."

"Actually I was thinking you guys could put it together and then come get me."

"Kurt, you're-"

"Just going to clash with everyone, pitch ideas and you're going to hate them all, and then I'm going to get upset and you're going to be upset and lets just skip it, ok? You guys plan things out then tell me what I'm doing."

"I'm really sorry about that, but...please don't skip today."

"Finn, it's fine. I'm over it. That's not the problem. I already made other plans. That actually include me and my ideas."

"What's that supposed to mean."

"I'm hanging out with some friends after school. I know Carole is cooking tonight so you guys don't need me for that. I just want to have some fun for once. So I'm going out tonight."

"Which friends are we talking about here. Kurt, are you hanging out with _them_?" His hand gestured vaguely in the direction of Kurt's phone. It had taken him less than two days to worm his way into being besties with an entire group of enemies.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to be a traitor. And besides, it's a fair opportunity to keep spying. They're our competition for sectionals and they are _real_ competition. They invited me so anything I bring back to you guys is fair game."

"I don't like this."

"You don't have to like it. Just be happy for me Finn. I'm finally enjoying myself for the first time all year. I'm _happy_. Please don't take that away from me." That was where the conversation ended. Well, that was where Kurt ended it by spinning on his designer shoe heels and marching away before Finn could find the words to say. It didn't matter. He could have had a month to speak and he still wouldn't have been able to find the right words.

"So where is this cutie boyfriend of yours anyway?" Wes's girlfriend teased as she jabbed her finger into Blaine's ribs.

"He's not my boyfriend," Blaine sighed back as he reached over her to give Wes a shove. Since they both knew that this was all his fault. "He probably just got lost." While it was a very logical explanation, Blaine's history had him checking his phone again to see if there had been any texts. Still nothing. It had been complete radio silence for about three hours now. He was about ready to drive over to McKinley himself, with or without a license, and comb the place to make sure his new friend wasn't curled up in a corner battered and broken. "And I would really, really appreciate it if no one called him that today. Can you even imagine walking into a place and everyone just pushing you into the arms of some stranger?"

"I happen to know that you'd enjoy that," David laughed. "Hopeless Romantic Blaine Anderson, believes in love at first sight and you couldn't take your eyes off him all day Monday. Which means that you are in l-o-v-e love."

"I am not!"

"Mmhm," they all crooned. Blaine gave the nearest Warbler a shove.

"Seriously guys, lay off it, please. We've already been over this. Even if I wanted to, and I _don't_ right now-"

" _Right now_."

"UGH! Even if I wanted to, Kurt...he needs something more than a fling."

"So don't be a fling," David's girlfriend told him. She sounded so wise saying it too. Like it was the most obvious thing and he'd just completely missed it.

"Well, I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to someone like that. What if I'm not what he really needs?"

"Blaine, it's not like you're asking him to _marry_ you. He's just a boyfriend."

"Hey, lay off him," Wes's girl chastised. "I think it's really sweet. Like a good romance. Like...Like uhm...When Harry met Sally. Not like those stupid romances where they see each other then get married three days later. They were actually friends first or well actually they hated each other at first and then they were friends and when they got together at the end it meant something." She paused a moment to bite on her lip. "Actually I think I'm jealous of your future boyfriend now."

"What! Standing under your window singing your favorite song with a bouquet of your favorite flowers isn't romantic enough for you?" Wes groaned.

"It was _beautiful_ but ugh this whole Klaine thing is-oh hey I just gave you guys a celebrity couple name!"

"Hey hey hey! Shh!" David hissed. "There he is."

There he was indeed. Beautiful as he had been the last two days. By this point, Kurt was definitely proving that he wasn't just a figment of Blaine's imagination. Blaine started to let all his fears slip away until he noticed that something was different. His eyes weren't bright. Actually he was barely looking up at all. "You are so lucky you aren't a Warbler, New Kid," Wes laughed. "We don't like it when people are late to practice without giving us a reason."

"Well I happen to have a reason," Kurt informed them as he settled down in the last open seat. "I had to go home and change and when I got there Finn was apparently making cheese soup with a side of pasta so I had to make sure he had something to eat. That took a bit."

"Who's Finn?" That had him pausing a beat. Finn. It was so unexpected.

"He, uhm...it's a long, complicated story." So very unexpected.

" _Oh_ ," David whistled out. Wes's girlfriend rubbed Blaine's back as his shoulders sank down. He knew he shouldn't be feeling disappointed like this. It wasn't right. He had just been saying he couldn't date Kurt because he was pretty sure he couldn't commit to someone like Kurt needed but there he was, dreaming of that kind of commitment and falling apart as soon as it was pulled away from him. He really was hopeless.

"So you're ok?" Blaine asked his friend quietly.

"I'm fine," Kurt said quickly. Very quickly. He looked into Blaine's eyes for the briefest of moments. "So uhm, how does this work?"

"We ordered the food already," Wes explained. "Big appetizer type share things. Uhmmm...we didn't get you a drink because we didn't know what you wanted…"

"Coffee."

"Coffee?"

"Mmhmm. I don't even care if its good or mixed up the right way right now. I just need coffee."

"Long day huh?"

"You could say that."

If they tossed a blazer over Kurt's shoulders no one would ever have been able to tell that he wasn't one of them. He really did just fit right in. The way he'd just joined in and bantered with them was just so seamless.

"Blaine gets coffee like, every day at the Lima Bean," David said.

"I do not!" Blaine retorted.

"Lima Bean?" Kurt replied. "Me and my girls go there a couple of times a week and...I'm pretty sure I've never seen you in there. I'd recognize the blazers."

"Because I don't go there every day."

"Yes you do," Wes sighed. "Before school."

"Not every day!"

"Yes, every single day. Trust me. We've been keeping track. You haven't missed a day since...since you had the flu last spring." The short teen shifted in his seat for a moment before hopping up to go find someone to get the singing started. They were the only people in there at this early hour - the place didn't really start getting packed until six or seven typically, which was great for the Warblers because most of them headed home about then to get their homework done. Instead he stumbled on their waitress.

"Is everything ok?" she said, her eyes trailing over his shoulders. With a calm, cool smile he nodded and pointed back to the table.

"My, uh, my new friend needs some coffee. And uhm, some stuff to mix in it. Chocolate and creamer options I guess. I don't know what exactly he wanted."

"Do you want us to make him a mocha?"

"...Actually that sounds really good. Sure. Lets try it. I'll pay anyway. Let him try whatever he wants and just give me the bill." Her eyes tore away from his shoulders as she looked over to the table.

"He's the one not wearing the blazer?"

"Right."

"He's cute." She knew the Warblers well. She served them every single time they came in. "Is he going to be coming in more often?"

"You know...I actually really hope so." Blaine didn't miss the sigh that pressed out of her. He was as well versed with her crush as she was with the Warblers drink orders. As sweet as it was, he was glad, in this case, that she thought he and Kurt were together. Hopefully it'd be a gentle way to help her move on to someone she could actually have.

"Then I'll make sure to remember which one's his favorite for you."

"Thank you. Now, uhm, where's Pete? I'd like to get the music started."

"I'll let him know."

When he came back he found that the chairs had shifted. Now the only seat available was the one right beside Kurt. He hesitated. Especially when Kurt looked into his eyes again. Kurt was always looking at his eyes. Or at least at him. He'd noticed. He couldn't let himself jump to conclusions though. Honestly he was feeling the same way. Kurt was the only other out gay teenager he'd met. It was so interesting seeing him and talking to him and just...being out together with him. As friends. That was overwhelming in and of itself.

The McKinley kid scooted his chair away from the empty one and let his eyes drop to the table.

"Oh, no, I wasn't, I mean," Blaine stammered as he took his seat. "I was just trying to remember if I'd forgotten anything." He tried to turn to his fellow Warblers for assistance but they were running off for the Karaoke station already. "Kurt I-"

"It's ok," the boy was quick to tell him.

"I really was just-"

"It's ok, ok?" Their waitress spun by and set down his coffee. "What's this?"

"Mocha?" Kurt lifted the cup up and blew across the top.

"It smells good."

On stage, the senior Warblers started their number. Blaine's heart clenched on their words. His eyes snapped up to see if they had done this for their girls or for some other reasons. " _I remember what you wore on the first day you came into my life, and I thought, hey, you know, this could be something_."

"This is a good song."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhm. It'd be better if Finn and Rachel hadn't been singing it all summer. But I like it. It's a really nice duet. I'd sing it with someone. Though I'd have to be Taylor Swift, of course."

"If that's what you want." Given the sound of Kurt's normal speaking voice he was sure Kurt could do the female role justice. Maybe even better than David and Wes were handling it. They both had deeper voices. It was nice, of course, but just maybe he and Kurt could do it better.

" _I remember every look upon your face-_ "

" _The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste_." Wes's girlfriend clasped her hands over her cheeks to hide the blush.

" _You make it hard for breathing._

' _Cause when I close my eyes and drift away_

 _I think of you and everything's ok._

 _I'm finally now believing."_

Blaine caught a smile, small and sweet, as Kurt stirred at his coffee. He looked like he could get up and dance. He'd need a partner, of course, for a song like this.

"Kurt?"

"Hm?"

"Uhm...do you uh...uhm, I know you said you're the only out kid at your school, but...are there others?" He set his spoon down and clasped his hands together over his knee. Then he took in a very deep breath before he finally answered.

"A few."

"Is...that jock you were talking to yesterday-"

"What?" Kurt's eyes snapped up.

"The tall guy. Kind of, well, uhm, dopey?"

"Finn? No. Definitely no. He is very, very, _very_ straight." The slightly dejected sigh that followed hurt a bit, but at least now he knew Finn wasn't Kurt's special someone. That was what he got for jumping to conclusions.

"But there are others?"

"Mmhm."

"Are you. Uhm. Is...do you have a boyfriend?" That question garnered an even longer pause.

"No." Their eyes met for just a moment before Blaine turned away. "The other people I know are girls. They're both dating boys right now. And I don't know if they're actually lesbians or if they just sleep together for fun."

"If there was another guy at your school, would you date him?"

"...well with my luck the only guy that would ever get interested in me would be the most disgusting man alive." His comment was followed by a very hard eye roll that almost had Blaine grabbing for his hand.

"I'm sure that's not true."

"I'm only attracted to straight guys and only awful men are attracted to me. Its just a fact of life."

"Shhhh!" the girls hissed.

" _And I'm thinking, ooo, I can't live without you_

' _Cause baby, two is better than one._

 _There's so much time to figure out the rest of my life_

 _But I've figured out with all that's said and done_

 _Two is better than one._

 _Two is better than one._ "

"That was beautiful," Wes's girlfriend crooned as she leaned in as though she was going to kiss him. But she didn't. She hopped up and sashayed herself over to the dj and leaned in to whisper a song to him. He nodded and turned to his computer to cue it up.

"What are you singing?" Wes asked her when she came back.

"Oh, just a little number by the greatest singer of all time. One Miss Whitney Houston. Who's in?" Wes and David shook their heads and laughed. On instinct, Blaine waved them off. This was a 'girl's number.' He wasn't opposed to singing with them or singing girl songs (actually he quite loved doing both of those) but usually when the girls asked they didn't actually want any of the boys to join in. They didn't want deep voices messing up their harmony.

"I will," Kurt spoke up beside him. He was practically jumping out of his seat at the invitation. It was probably the most excited Blaine had seen him since, well, the Teenage Dream performance.

"Oooooo, New Kid has some balls." Before Blaine knew what was happening Kurt had been grabbed from both sides by the girlfriends and yanked up onto the stage.

On second thought, he was more excited than he'd been Monday. As he stumbled up beside them and got sandwiched between the two girls, the three of them broke out into giggles. Kurt was clearly the kind of man that girls loved to hang out with. That was something Blaine knew the rest of the Warblers who were struggling to find dates would appreciate. The longer Kurt hung out with them, the more reasons Blaine found to insist he belonged among their kind.

The girls wrapped their arms around Kurt in a hug, which he returned briefly before crossing his arms protectively over himself. Still, despite that he never lost that glowing smile.

"Slight problem!" the dj called. "I can't find a good file. You'd think they'd have it, it's so popular-"

"How are you with acapella?" David's girlfriend asked.

"I don't do it often but it can't be that hard," Kurt said, glancing over to the trio of boys at the table.

"Was that a jab?" Wes asked him.

"Oh, no, me? Make jabs at you? My competition for sectionals this year? Never." There it was. That smile, those gleaming eyes. Kurt fitting in perfectly, again.

It was like he'd always belonged in Blaine's life. Like he'd always been there. Like he'd always _be_ there. Blaine tried hard not to feed that notion. They were from very different worlds. Someday he'd go to Harvard or whatever other school Dalton boys got fast tracked to and Kurt would...well he could probably go to Harvard too, Blaine didn't know anything about that part of his life. For all he knew Kurt dreamed of being a future president. But somehow Kurt seemed more NYC bound. He was a big city kid stuck in a small town.

"Come on competition, let's hear what you've got," David laughed. So the trio started their song. Acapella.

" _There's a boy I know_ ," Wes's girlfriend started, pointing out to her main man. " _He's the one I dream of. Looks into my eyes, takes me to the clouds above, mm mm_."

Two girls and a male soprano. Blaine knew he shouldn't have been surprised. But he was. The oos coming out of Kurt were some of the most beautiful sounds he'd ever heard. He wanted more. He wanted Kurt to sing.

" _Oh I lose control, can't seem to get enough, uh huh,_

 _When I wake from dreaming, tell me is it really love._

 _Whooo._ "

If Blaine closed his eyes he could almost imagine it.

David's girlfriend leaned in. The girls were stunning, of course. Their school didn't believe in competing so they just showcased their talents all over everywhere else they could. Both of them wanted to go on to do something with music.

" _How will I know?_

 _(Don't trust your feelings.)_

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know?_

 _(Love can be deceiving.)_

 _How will I know?_ "

Wes and David were completely silent, completely still. Blaine wasn't even sure if they were breathing. Actually, he realized he didn't care. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward to hear Kurt better. The McKinley boy was watching him again.

" _How will I know if he really loves me?_

 _I say a prayer with every heartbeat._

 _I fall in love whenever we meet._

 _I'm asking you what you know about these things._

 _How will I know if he's thinking of me?_

 _I try to phone but I'm too shy (can't speak)._

 _Falling in love is so bitter sweet._

 _This love is strong, why do I feel weak?_ "

" _Oh, wake me_ ," Wes's girlfriend crooned.

" _I'm shaking,_ " David's girlfriend echoed.

" _Wish I had you near me now_ ," they all sang together. Then a marvelous thing happened. Blaine's dream came true. The girls left it to Kurt to take the lead while they filled in with the echos and back-up harmony. It sent shivers straight up Blaine's spine. When he dared to break their locked gaze he saw his friends were mesmerized too. Kurt could _sing_.

" _Said there's no mistaking, what I feel is really love,._

 _Ooo tell me (Oh tell me),_

 _How will I know?_

 _(Don't trust your feelings.)_

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know?_

 _(Love can be deceiving.)_

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know if he really loves me?_

 _I say a prayer with every heartbeat._

 _I fall in love whenever we meet._

 _I'm asking you,_

' _Cause you know about these things._

 _How will I know if he's thinking of me?_

 _I try to phone but I'm too shy (can't speak)._

 _Falling in love is so bitter sweet._

 _This love is strong, why do I feel weak?_ "

His cheeks turned red as he leaned back and gave the girls a nudge forward. Blaine felt his own cheeks turning red when Kurt's eyes pulled away from him and trained themselves on his very fashionable shoes. They'd just had that moment. Just like Teenage Dream. It was unmistakable. There was...well there was just _movement_ deep inside Blaine's soul. He could commit to a guy that could sing like that.

But he couldn't. This was not the time or place. Kurt needed a rock, not a sappy hopeless boyfriend.

" _If he loves me, if he loves me not._

 _If he loves me ooo, if he loves me not._

 _If he loves me, if he loves me not._

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know?_

 _Hey how will I know?_

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know-_ "

" _If he really loves me?_ " they left Kurt to sing back to them by himself. Blaine's eyes snapped up just in time to see the public school boy looking frantically between them. They just wrapped their arms around his shoulders and kept going. He couldn't escape their hug. Instead he shrunk down. It was all he could do. And it was the cutest thing Blaine had seen him do yet.

" _I say a prayer with every heartbeat._

 _I fall in love whenever we meet._

 _I'm asking you 'cause you know about these things._

 _How will I know-_ "

" _If he's thinking of me?_ " They did it again.

" _I try to phone but I'm too shy-_ "

" _Can't speak_ ," Kurt echoed. It was like the girls were doing it on purpose. For reasons other than musical sound. But it did sound beautiful. So maybe not. Blaine hoped he was just reading too much into it.

" _Falling in love is-_ "

" _So bitter sweet-_ "

" _This love is strong-_ "

" _Why do I feel weak?_ "

At least he wasn't having any trouble keeping up with their surprise twists and turns. Blaine kept waiting for the time when they left him to sing and he missed the cue. It never happened. The dapper teen couldn't help but think how perfect Kurt would be during one of their impromptu improved performances. He wouldn't even need practice. He'd just fit right in. Just like he was doing now. Fitting perfectly into Blaine's life right where Blaine needed him.

" _How will I know?_

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know?_

 _How will I know, ooo?_

 _How will I know, how will I know, hey how will I know, how will I know?_ "

The shortest Warbler took in a sharp breath when they finished. How perfect was this kid anyway? Even as Kurt was acting shy his voice was as strong as ever. So unafraid. Blaine didn't stir until Wes and David stood up to applaud. The girls half-curtsied before running to their men.

Blaine was much slower to stand. He straightened himself up and yes, there was a part of him that wanted Kurt to pounce on him like the girls had pounced on his friends. Kurt didn't of course. He bowed, nice and low, then stepped off the stage with all the grace and charm of a man who owned all the Earth around him. Whatever was going on at McKinley wasn't making him afraid of himself. Just as Blaine was going to speak - compliment Kurt, tell him how great that was, _anything_ \- the senior Warblers broke away from their kisses and got in his way.

"Ok, if you ever do transfer to Dalton, you don't even have to audition, you're in."

"Wait can we do that without Thad's permission?"

"Uhm, oh! I know. This place has video recording. Lets get that and show him. If anyone complains, eh we're just checking out the competition."

"You know its funny that's exactly what I told Finn when he asked why I was hanging out with the Warblers," Kurt laughed. Blaine skirted around the group. He couldn't even get close. It was like they'd met a celebrity.

"Oh-ho-ho then it really is only fair that we show everyone just what you can do."

"But really, name the price. How can we recruit you?"

"Thank you, really, thank you," Kurt sighed. "But I am not for sale. I like McKinley. It's _home_. I want to stay there if I can."

"We'll give you Blaine as your personal tour guide! Since he's the one who brought you to us in the first place." The two pushed him forward. Both teens bashfully stepped away from each other.

"As much as I love backwards handholding, I'll have to pass."

"Fine, fine, alright."

"We need to do something to break the tension now," Wes decided. "Blaine, its your turn. You're the only one who hasn't had a song yet."

"Ah, uhm, I really don't have an idea what I'd even sing," Blaine fumbled. "Are there any Katy Perry songs I haven't done yet..."

"I think there's one or two you haven't hit at least ten times yet, if that counts. But you know that those songs are in high demand."

"Wait, an all boys school wants their boy rockstar choir to sing...Katy Perry pop songs all the time?" Kurt mused in such a smooth voice that Blaine felt his own cheeks turning red. Bright Eyes was finding this all too funny. He was so focused on Kurt that he didn't notice David over at the station picking out his song.

"Alright Blaine, by the power of the vote we have decided which song you'll sing," he declared as he rejoined the group.

"Woah wait hey!" There wasn't much room for protesting.

"If you don't we won't let you sing any Katy Perry at sectionals."

"We're doing Katy at sectionals?"

"We might if you sing this song."

That sold him. No matter what the song was, he was going to do it for the chance to croon out something - hopefully Teenage Dream just so he could find Kurt in the audience and point at him again - to steal the hearts of everyone judging him. And that didn't just mean the judges. He ran up to the stage and grabbed the microphone.

Then the music started.

"Are you _serious_?" he groaned.

"Sing it Blaine! All of it."

"Did it have to- _There you see her_ ," he transitioned. His part came up too soon for him to finish his sentence. " _Sitting there across the way. She don't got a lot to say, but there's something about her."_

The two girls pulled their boyfriends up to dance with them. Blaine tried to look through the moving bodies, though, to catch Kurt's eye. This song wasn't one he wanted to have a 'moment' with Kurt over but he did want to see that twinkle. He wanted it to help him get through this embarrassment.

" _And you don't know why,_

 _But you're dying to try,_

 _You wanna kiss the girl._ "

Kurt was playing with his coffee and pushing around the food that had arrived while he was singing. He most definitely was not looking up. Blaine couldn't blame him on this one. Granted Teenage Dream was about sex, but it never said the word. How Will I Know was all about, and very vocal about, love, but there was no physical action. Besides, two friends could love each other. As friends. Blaine loved the Warblers. That didn't mean he wanted to kiss most of them. Just some of them. Sometimes. But he was doing a good job of getting over all of that and he was pretty sure none of them knew he'd ever harbored such thoughts.

Except the gay senior that hadn't been out of the closet. But he was gone off to San Francisco now. Probably dating every man he met. It really made Blaine feel gross inside that he didn't even get a shot. He would have made a great boyfriend. Even if their relationship would have just been a fling. Actually the fling would have been a good thing. Quick and painless, just for fun.

Someone like Kurt could never be a fling.

Wes and his girlfriend spun between them and obscured the boy who wasn't looking up.

" _Yes, you want her-_

 _Look at her, you know you do._

 _Its possible she wants you too._

 _There is one way to ask her._

 _It don't take a word, not a single word._

 _Go on and kiss the girl._ "

"Ok, boys, you all have to sing too." Wes and David jumped up beside him. He tried to get Kurt to come up too but the non-Warbler just shook his head and averted his eyes again. He wouldn't even let the girls get him up to dance.

" _Sha-la-la-la-la-la-my oh my,_

 _Look like the boy too shy,_

 _Ain't gonna kiss the girl._

 _Sha-la-la-la-la-la-ain't it sad?_

 _Ain't it a shame, too bad,_

 _He's gonna miss the girl._ "

The trio couldn't help themselves. They started dancing in the same formations that they always did. Together, in unison - the way the Warblers did everything. Even the girls joined in with a giggle. But not Kurt.

" _Now's your moment_

 _Floating in the blue lagoon._

 _Boy, you better do it soon,_

 _No time will be better._

 _She don't say a word_

 _And she won't say a word_

 _Until you kiss the girl._

The center-stage Warbler let himself get caught up in the song. He spun and danced with his friends around him. Safe and sound and happy.

" _Sha-la-la-la-la-la don't be scared you've got the mood prepared. Go on and_ -Where's Kurt." The seat was empty. He darted down to the table, the song completely forgotten. His friends scattered around him.

"Maybe he just went to the bathroom," one of the girls said.

"He's so in love he can't bear being separated for a second," Wes teased, jabbing his finger into Blaine's ribs.

"His jacket's gone!" Blaine declared, peering into the empty coffee cup. "He left. He left!" He couldn't have been gone long. No matter how the others would act or what they'd say tomorrow, Blaine hurried out the door. When Kurt had come in, he'd been upset. He hid it well but...he'd been upset.

Ok so maybe Blaine was overreacting. But he'd rather overreact than under react. He didn't want Kurt to end up like he did. Well, worse than he did since he was pretty sure Kurt couldn't afford Dalton.

He bolted out the door and looked around. When he didn't immediately spot the fashionista he pulled his phone out. "Oh come on!" he heard from behind a rather large car.

"Kurt? Are you ok? You just kind of hurried out of there-" When he rounded to the driver's side, he saw something horrifying. Tears. Lots of them. Kurt's face was completely scrunched up, lips pulled back, brows pushed together. Fist balled up against his window. "Kurt what happened." He hurried over but he didn't touch. He wasn't sure if Kurt was a hugger or if he would be ok with a sort of stranger hugging him. Besides, Kurt had pushed away everyone else when they tried to touch him.

So he did the only thing he could think of to do. He held out his hand.

The bright eyed public school new kid boy didn't accept it right away. He just looked at it and leaned against what Blaine could only assume was his car. Kurt didn't strike him as the stealing type. The longer the hand remained offered, the closer Kurt leaned. Until he took it. And held it tight, wrapped up tight like a child holding on for dear life. Like this was all he had. Blaine stepped closer. "He kissed me."

"What?"

"He. That guy. The. The one I. He."

Judging by the reaction, this kiss wasn't a good thing. The cycle of moods hadn't really raised too many flags earlier but seeing Kurt like this now made him suspicious as to just how bad this kiss was. Maybe all those emotions had just been his way of processing it. "It's ok. It's ok. Take your time."

"You know how...how when boys pick on girls, in elementary school, the adults always say 'well maybe he likes you.' As though that makes what he did excusable."

"...Kurt." Blaine couldn't help it. His hand curled tighter. He didn't like where this was going. "Who kissed you?"

"The neanderthal."

"The...the kid that's been...the bully? The one who's making your life hell? That neanderthal?" The beautiful boy in front of him nodded his head. His bottom lip puffed out as he tried to reign in his tears. His top lip almost disappeared as his mouth pulled itself back. Anything to hold in the sobs.

" _That_ neanderthal."

"Do you want to sit down?"

"Yes." He held his keys up. His hands were shaking. Now Blaine understood why he was swearing. So he took the keys. He unlocked the door. He even held it open so Kurt could clamber in.

"Give me just a second. Don't go anywhere." The command was to ensure that Kurt didn't drive off. He didn't look like he would but Blaine didn't want to take the chance.

As he hurried around the car, he checked his phone.

 _Is everything ok? - Wes_

 _Blaine are you ok? - David_

 _Do we need to come out there? - David_

 _Blaine seriously, just tell us that you're safe. - Wes_

 _I'm fine. Kurt just needs some time. I'm going to stay with him. Don't wait for me._

He tried to open the door. It was locked. When he glanced up he thought he caught Kurt smiling a little as he unlocked the door. It took Blaine less than a few seconds to hop himself up inside the car. The re-locking did catch him off guard though. Definitely a clear message. Just one person was allowed inside. And that person was Blaine. He silently vowed to never violate that trust.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No. Yes. I...I want it to have not happened. I want to go back and...and not know."

"Not know what?"

"Blaine! He's like us. The guy who's been making my life impossible. The guy who...who's bullied me for as long as I can remember. Always there, always pushing me shoving me calling me names. He pushed me down the stairs last year. I mean not all of them but some. He broke my Lady Gaga costume-"

"Your- no wait nevermind that's not important right now."

"I'll show you later. I worked really hard on it, I made it from scratch. I'm pretty proud of it."

"You...wow."

"I make a lot of my own clothes. Well, I get pieces from the store, put them together, make them my own."

"I knew I hadn't seen anything like this in the stores." Blaine reached over and tugged on the sleeves.

"What does a boy who only wears uniforms know about stores?"

"I don't just wear uniforms!" Kurt reached over and grabbed back at his sleeve. "I don't. How about we meet at the mall on Saturday and I prove it to you?"

"Ohh, hmm. That sounds like a plan." He looked down at his steering wheel. After a few moments of silence his forehead dropped down. "I used to dream of what it'd be like, you know."

"What's that?"

"I used to...wonder what it was like, to not be the only one. At McKinley. To not be alone. For there to be _someone_ I could, I don't know, maybe...maybe take to Breadstix like everyone else gets to take someone to Breadstix."

"Isn't that the pasta place downtown…"

"...You've never been to Breadstix? We _have_ to fix that."

"Ok. So. Someone to take to Breadstix." The boys stared at each other as they both realized what they'd just done. If Kurt said it, Blaine would go with it. 'It' being anything about Breadstix being a date. He didn't.

"Right...I can't believe it's Karofsky. I just. _Karofsky_. _He's_ my secret gay McKinley dream? It's so...I'd rather kiss all the girls in school than let him kiss me again. I feel like I need to go take twenty showers just to make sure every little bit of _him_ is off of me. It's disgusting. Its like I can't get the smell out of my mind. The feeling! I want it gone. I want it all gone. And you know, the worst part? No, not the worst part. There's a lot of worst parts about this. But just this morning Finn and I were arguing about, well, how...how creepy it can be for guys to have someone hit on them. And...and he was _right_. I've been...so awful. I didn't mean to but... _yeah_ it's really awful. When you don't want someone hitting on you. And they do."

There was a wave of nausea Blaine couldn't deny. "I...I'm sorry...I…"

"No, no, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to rant-"

"No, that's fine. That's. Totally fine. I promised you I'd be here. I'm here. I'm here for you. Whatever you need."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. So...what happened after the kiss?"

"...He tried to kiss me again...He didn't. I'd _never_ let him. Never. Blaine what do I do."

"Huh?"

"What do I do now? I can't just. I mean obviously I can't tell anyone. You don't count. Right? You won't tell?"

"I won't tell. I know how important closets can be."

"So, besides that...he just revealed a very deep secret to me. _Very_ deep. I can guarantee that absolutely no one knows about this or even suspects it. And I don't know what to do."

"...Maybe I can talk to him?"

"You?"

"...Yeah. Tomorrow. I'll come at lunch like I did yesterday. And...we'll just figure things out as we go." After all, that was what he was doing with this...friendship. Friendship was all this would be. Since apparently Kurt didn't even see him as a romantic prospect. Since apparently he didn't want anyone to hit on him, at least not now. Blaine had been very right about how this wasn't a good time for them to date.

"Do you want to go get dinner?"

"Where at?"

"Breadstix." Or...maybe it was?

"Sure, if you want."

"I'm feeling like eating something bad right now. Don't judge me."

"Never." He offered the keys back to his new friend. When the car turned on, 'Two is Better than One' was on the radio.

"That's eerie."

"It could be worse. It could be playing Kiss the Girl."

"I've never heard a Disney song on the radio."

"It could happen."

"You're dreaming. Are your friends going to be ok with this?"

"Yeah, I told them not to wait. I'm hanging out with my new friend. They might get jealous but they can deal with it."

"Blaine, please don't think I'm weird, but can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"I have a reason."

"...Uhm. Ok?"

"Can I have a picture of you?"

"A picture?"

"Yeah. I uh. I do this thing. In my locker. Where I uhm. I...I just put up things that inspire me. Inside. Because if I put it on the outside people would destroy it. But on the inside it's all safe." There was a hidden message in there. Blaine could just feel it. "And I'd like to put a picture of you in there."

"I inspire you?"

"You do."

"I'm just a friend doing what I'd like my friends to do for me."

"I know."

"Ok, please don't think I'm weird but…"

"Yes?"

"I have a reason."

"Blaine!"

"Ok, ok!" He looked over to see Kurt smiling at him. He really hoped he'd have that smile in his life long-term. "I know I've only known you since Monday but...I think you really have the potential to be the best friend I've ever had." They fell into silence for a minute. Blaine felt his hands starting to get a bit sweaty. "I'm sorry I said it'd be weird."

"No, it's...I've never had a guy for a best friend before."

"Oh."

"So what do we do?"

"Uhm. Well. We. We get coffee. A lot."

"I like the sound of that."

"Yeah? Uhm. We also sing stupid songs whenever we feel like it."

"Sounds fun."

"We go to the mall on the weekends?"

"Ah, gotta be careful with that one. Rachel, Mercedes, and I almost always go shopping on the weekends."

"Oh the curses of having a best friend who has many, many girlfriends."

"Hey my best friend has dozens of boyfriends how do you think I feel about that." Blaine caught his eye again.

"Kurt Hummel I think this is the start of something beautiful."

 **"** **Blaine Anderson, I think you're right."**


	3. Thursday: I Don't Care About You

Thursday: I Don't Care About You

* * *

"It's been a long time since I've had public school food," Blaine jested as Kurt led him through the courtyard. "Is it as bad as I remember?"

"Yes, and I wouldn't even wish it on, well, Karofsky. So we're going out."

"...You can do that here?"

"If the nurse thinks I'm sick I can."

"You sound like a pro at this."

"I don't skip school as much as I used to, but, yes, I am. Come on." Kurt glanced around before leading Blaine straight into the locker room. It was deserted for the lunch hour. "I learned a few tricks in middle school. Really that was the worst of it - middle school. Kids were more creative then. It was more humiliating. Now they just push a lot." His hand curled up to massage at his shoulders.

"...well, I'm not really one to talk. I can't compare. First day of Freshman year I was at Dalton. My mom made sure of it. There was no way I was going back." He sat himself down on a bench as Kurt showed him all the little tricks to make himself look sick as a dog. Temporarily. Apparently if he just messed up his clothes a little and messed up his hair, he easily did a good job of looking ill.

"Is it ok...if I ask?"

"I...I don't like to talk about it. Its...I know I _should_ talk about it, with someone. Finally air it out and free myself of all that. But I just can't. Still." His heart hadn't stopped racing either. Ever since 'the neanderthal' pushed him up against that fence. Ever since Kurt probably saved him from serious facial injuries. It was so easy to keep his game face on. Blaine hadn't expected that of himself. The sooner he could get back to Dalton the better.

A weight settled down next to him on the bench. "I'm here for you. If. I mean, when you want to talk. If. Whenever, whyever. I'm here." Blaine lifted his head to peer into those deep bright public school eyes.

"Isn't that what I offered you?"

"Blaine. I'm serious. I want to help you too."

"...ok. I'll. I'll call you, or text, or something. If and when."

"Even if it's three a.m?"

"Even if it's three a.m." Kurt patted on his shoulder before going back to his handy work.

"Do you think...is there any way I could, I don't know, maybe...sit in on some classes at Dalton? Tell them my family is thinking about transferring me and they want me to see if the classes work for me?"

"Is your family thinking about transferring you?"

"They don't even know Dalton exists. Well Finn does, but I'm pretty sure he'd never think of that possibility. I mean, I am completely loyal to the New Directions. I'd never transfer for choir reasons. The Warblers look like fun but I'm pretty partial to my family."

"Your family?"

"That's what we are. A family. Dysfunctional but we love each other. Ok. I'm ready. Do you think I have a temperature?" When Kurt proffered his forehead, Blaine hesitated. But he gave in and pressed his palm to that flawless skin. It was definitely warm. "I learned a long time ago that I have a slightly higher body temperature than other people. By about a degree and a half. It still falls in the normal range but it makes it a lot easier to claim I'm sick and get out on days when I can't face things."

"...wait you actually used to skip school a lot? I thought you were joking."

"...more than I do now. I wouldn't say its a lot though. You have to be smart about these things or you'll get caught. So you have to make sure to use skip days for the ones you really can't get through."

"Is today that day?"

"...Actually, no. I haven't skipped school at all this year. I think I've earned a quick break."

"So you're ok? You know, about all that stuff. With Karofsky."

"Kind of. I just...I know guys aren't supposed to care about that sort of thing but it really matters to me. I think about it a lot. What it'd be like. I wanted it to be with someone who, I don't know, someone who could love me for real reasons."

"Real reasons?"

"Well not because I'm the only other gay person they've ever met. That'd be a nice start." Blaine clenched his hands a little bit tighter onto the edge of the bench. "I'd also like it if he wasn't a bully who was just looking for some way to outlet his secrets in the worst possible way."

"He probably just doesn't want to be bullied himself."

"Yeah. Yeah. I can't really blame him for that. If I was bigger I...I really don't know how my life would have turned out. I like to think I'd still be me. I'd have the same dad after all. The same mom. The same childhood. I'd just be...bigger. And being bigger doesn't mean you aren't going to be bullied, I know that from Finn. But they bully you differently. Because they know that if you're bigger than they are then you can probably hurt them more than they can hurt you. I don't know what made him the way he is but...it's terrifying. To be bullied, to see people being bullied. He's big enough to avoid it. There's no one who would ever suspect any of this from him. I know I didn't. And I used to be so sure I could tell these things."

"He's not the only one?"

"He's the worst one. The others, they don't bother me so much. I think he's overcompensating. Being even worse to make up for his secret."

"You really aren't worried about the rest of them?"

"Oh please. They're idiots. Seriously Blaine. They are _all_ going to be working for me...in about three years? Yeah. Three years."

"Three years huh? That's really specific. You're going to take over Lima in just three years?"

"Well, no. See I'm technically co-owner of a car shop. And most of the worst ones are in my grade, which means they'll be graduating next year-"

"Next year!" Kurt paused for just a second. Blaine tried hard not to look him over but he really hadn't expected Kurt to be a Junior.

"Next year. And I figure we've all been taught that we have to go to college so they'll all try but most of them probably won't make it out there in the real world where they don't reign supreme over everyone. So...within a year they'll be back, they'll need jobs, and they're big guys. They're bound to be good with a lot of the hard labor at the car shop even if they need someone like me to tell them how the cars work."

"Is that your dream? To work in a car shop?"

"Well, no, but if I don't ever have anything else go right for me, I know I won't end up homeless or working in fast food, you know? If nothing else, I'll have my dad and the majority ownership of a car shop. Well. I think I'd have slightly more than a third, and he'd have slightly more than a third. And then the shareholders have the rest."

"You really know about business."

"It's what I grew up with. He started it not too long before I was born. We built it up together." His new friend paused a moment to revel in the memories of his youth before standing up and slapping his palms against his thighs for emphasis. "Ok. We really have to get going. Here." He pulled his car keys out of his pocket and tossed them to Blaine. "Why don't you go get in the car and I'll catch up to you after I get signed out."

"Kurt you're late!" his dad called as he breezed through.

"I know! I had to go home first!"

"Oh you weren't home already? The school called and told me you were sick!"

"...Dad can we talk about that later?"

"You can guarantee it. Oh you've got a car to work on. It's 'what's that mysterious noise' again."

"K, just let me get changed!"

"I thought you said he was an owner," Thad hissed into Blaine's ear. Wes and David had told him all about Blaine's crush and how bad it was and how he was most definitely not acting on it. And how the Crush wasn't acting on it either but they forgave that given apparent circumstances at the public school Crush was attending.

"That's what he told me!" Blaine whispered back.

"Do you think he'll be working on our car?" Trent asked. Their little starlet Warbler ducked himself between the two of them.

"Is it bad that I hope not. This is kind of embarrassing."

"We just need help with my car," Thad told him. "Most people take their cars to the shop when it's making funny noises and just stops working in the middle of their attempts to get to school in the morning."

"We go to a school teeming with boys and not a single person can even figure out where to put oil in a car."

"...yeah that is kind of embarrassing. But since when have any of us ever _had_ to look under the hood of a car? We're kind of spoiled. And I, for one, am not afraid to admit it. Just look at us." Trent nodded along. Blaine gave him a little shove. "Foul play, Blaine. Picking on a Freshman."

"Right over here son," the bald owner said.

"Dad, I know where I'm going why don't you go back and get some more re-"

"If you tell me to get rest one more time I swear Kurt. I swear."

"You swear what?"

"I swear...I'll embarrass you so bad in front of your future boyfriend that he'll run for the hills."

"DAD!"

"Wow he's really out," Thad whispered. Then Kurt saw them. It was clear that he'd spied them because he immediately stopped in his tracks and froze up, watching the star Warbler intently. It was amazing how his eyes just zeroed in on the boy. Clearly this was a mutual crush.

"Blaine?"

"Oh, these friends of yours?" the man asked.

"Uh, yeah. They are."

"Who's car?" Thad held his hand up with pride. Then watched as Crush's father motioned between himself and Crush.

" _Dad_ , no!"

"Too bad. I'd have to offer him the discount Rachel gets. You know, to be fair. But I guess they just get the friends discount. Just tell me what you do and we'll work out the prices."

"Thanks." Crush turned so red. Like a cherry. Wes and David were right. He did look like he'd be great with their Blaine. Shy and quirky and apparently a great singer. Plus he could fix their cars for them. At a discount. And Blaine had been so much happier than he could ever remember these last few days. Even if he and Crush weren't trying to get together. Even if they were actively trying to not get together. These two were destined to be together.

"So what's the Rachel discount?" Trent asked. Crush buried his face in his hands for a moment.

"It's...the girlfriend discount. Basically he cuts the price down so that we don't make any money on it. The price still covers the parts but there's nothing else added in for service - we do the work on those because it's not fair to the other employees but it's only natural that we'd want to give our special someones something special anyway. And if it's something simple like...windshield wipers or an oil change, then that's just on the house. But mystery noises usually cost something."

"He was going to give me the girlfriend discount?" Thad asked. Crush stammered a moment before looking to Blaine for help.

"Boyfriend," Blaine clarified. "If you were Kurt's boyfriend then you'd be getting really cheap help right now." They weren't about to say it out loud, Thad knew better than to bring it up right now. But it was beautiful. A dad who was that chill about his gay son. Though maybe it helped that the gay son was already into cars so that wasn't a way to undermine who he was. But Kurt and his dad didn't seem the type to have that kind of relationship. Maybe if he and Blaine got together Blaine could have a little bit of that accepting father in his life. That was another bonus for his future with Crush.

"I could be your boyfriend for a day for that."

"I, uh, I don't do that kind of thing. Relationships are a big deal, not something for fun."

"So I'll take you out for dinner too."

"No."

"Kurt," Blaine interrupted. "First, sorry for him. This is Thad. And this is Trent." The small wave told Thad that he'd gotten on Kurt's bad side. "They're nice too, I promise." Crush stayed silent. He leaned in to check out the car instead. The kid looked vastly different than he had when he was ghosting the halls of Dalton on Monday. And earlier that very same day.

"So uhm, I heard you were scoping out Dalton?" he asked.

"Sort of," Kurt sighed. "It's a really nice school. You guys are lucky."

"So, just to be clear, you weren't spying on us by infiltrating our lives."

"I don't even know who most of the Warblers are. I think...David and Wes were seniors right? Blaine's a sophomore. So I didn't even see anyone I know in the classes they had me checking out."

"...That's actually pretty fair. Are you transferring?"

"...No. We can't afford it. And I wouldn't transfer unless I had no other choice anyway. As Blaine has heard me say probably a million times since Monday, I love McKinley."

"I've actually never heard a public school kid say they love their school."

"Well if you talk to the New Directions you might hear a lot of it. Or, well, they'd need some prompting or an inspirational speech or two but they'd get there. I'm pretty sure they all love it. McKinley is a good school. Its just the people that make it bad." That was another thing they'd talked about. Not much, but it had come up. Crush was being bullied. He was a victim, just like Blaine. For a moment Thad hadn't believed that. He didn't seem like the victim type. He was happy and his dad was over there making boyfriend jokes. But the sincerity in his voice made it very clear. No matter how nice things looked on the surface there was always something more.

Like with Blaine. His smiles, his cool demeanor, how loud and showy he was - underneath there was a scared boy.

Maybe these two would be good for each other after all. And not just in that cute little 'it'd be nice for Blaine to have a boyfriend' way either. But they could actually be a really strong couple.

"Bu-KURT!" a giant teen in a varsity jacket called out as he ran across the shop. "We've been calling you since school let out! Everyone's worried. You just disappeared."

"Oh so they noticed?" he shot back.

"Yeah, we noticed. First you disappear Monday-"

"Wasn't that your idea?"

"...Puck's."

"Puck's idea then."

"Ok fine. But today?" Suddenly the giant noticed the Warblers. "You're hanging out with _them_ again?!" Thad noticed several more boys appear. He recognized the wheelchair kid from the videos of the New Directions. And the mohawk kid. Actually come to think of it wasn't this giant their lead man?

"Finn. This is Thad's car. It needs fixed. So they brought it here. And I happen to be working today."

"...Sorry," Giant sent Thad's way. "But. Ok so why did you cut school today?"

"I wasn't feeling well."

"You look fine."

"Finn can we talk about this later? I'm busy right now."

"What about boys versus girls."

"I told you just tell me what you want me to do and I'll be there. What songs are we mashing up?"

"...uhm."

"You guys haven't even figured that out yet?"

"Well!"

"We knew what we were doing," the mohawk boy said. "But then apparently a bunch of people had to go and mess things up so now...we decided we're going to try to make an apology song from all us guys for Coach Beiste." Crush pulled his head out of the car. The Warblers shifted around, trying hard not to intrude. They occupied a strange place here. As strangers, as friends, as protectors, and as enemies.

"So I have to apologize on your behalf again this year too?"

"Hey not mine! I'm not in on this one. It's the rest of them."

"And Tina," the Asian boy added.

"...But it's definitely not mine."

"Woah, chill," Finn chastised. "You're always saying 'I'm a guy too-'"

"Yeah but not when it comes to acting like this. I don't know if you've noticed but I'll never treat a girl like you treat them. I won't even treat _boys_ like you treat the girls. And I'm actually interested in them."

"Guys! This isn't helping us with our mash-up," Sam interrupted.

"Can we help?" Blaine offered. The sharpness of Giant's turns had Thad moving to put himself protectively between him and the shortest Warbler. Just in case.

"Finn," Kurt cut in right away. "The Warblers aren't Vocal Adrenaline. They're nice. Dalton has a very strict no-bullying policy. If any of them even tried to _think_ about the things Jesse did they'd be expelled."

"...Kurt it doesn't matter," the giant said. "We can be friends after sectionals. You helped me last year with Rachel, you remember what it was like for her. For all of us. We can't take any risks. Sectionals isn't that far away anyway. If everyone still wants to be friends after sectionals then we'll do it. Ok?"

Crush shoved his hands in his pockets. Just the look on his face screamed volumes. There was something churning away inside that head of his.

"I think I know how Rachel felt now."

"Kurt I'm sorry, I am, but please you understand. We need to work on our mashup. Come on."

"I need to finish fixing this car. I can't just ditch work."

"How about this," Thad spoke up, stepping in. "We'll head out. Go get dinner or something. Call Blaine when it's ready?"

"...I can do that."

"Then that's what we'll do. Thank you, for helping us, Kurt." He patted the boy on the back. "You're a great guy. I really see what Wes and David were talking about. Can't wait to hang out with you some more. After sectionals, I guess."

Thad didn't miss the looks Blaine shared with his crush. They weren't going to wait until after sectionals to meet again. Actually Thad was pretty sure they'd be together by then. They'd probably just wait to announce it until after.

"Dinner smells great," Burt called out to his son.

"Its-"

"I don't need the play by play tonight. I don't think I can quite handle it."

"Maybe if you took it easier at work-"

"Kurt."

"I'm kidding!"

"You better be. Just like you better be kidding about starting up this whole school skipping thing again." He watched as his son froze up for a moment. Ever since the end of last year these little mannerisms hadn't passed him by. Kurt was good at hiding things but he wasn't flawless. As long as Burt paid attention he could pick up on things. He was pretty sure he was doing a good job of it so far.

"Dad. I'm not planning on skipping school again. I promised you I'd stop and I mean it. Things have gotten easier since I joined the New Directions. I don't have a reason to not go to school anymore."

Burt didn't like to think about what might have happened without that show choir. That tiny guidance counselor had scared him, deep in his core. And he thought she might be right. That Kurt had been depressed. Suicidal even. He'd certainly changed completely since the 'join a team' mandate. He was happy. They hung out. He had his baby back. His baby was just almost grown up now. Kurt was mature in the sense that he tried to take on responsibilities, he knew that he had to work hard and he'd do the work he needed to, and he had a really, really good heart. But he was still a kid. Lost and scared just like the rest of them. And from sixth through ninth grade cutting school had been his way of coping with things.

As long as Kurt was passing Burt hadn't felt too much of a need to make him go. He knew his kid was smart and wanted to finish school. Kurt's grades never dropped below A's and he always passed those stupid state-issued exams with ease. When he'd joined show choir the skipping had tapered out on its own. He only missed school when he asked permission to miss school. Up until today.

"Why did you do it then?"

"I. I just." Kurt took such a deep breath that Burt thought he might pop. Then he served the food. He was stalling. Of course his dad wasn't going anywhere. They could sit here all night if they had to. "I'm not going to do it again."

"I'm glad. But why did you do it this time."

"Dad...what do you know about Dalton Academy?"

"...Finn was talking about that. One of the competitors for sectionals?"

"Well, that, and...it's a really great school. I kind of went there Monday because I had nothing else to do. The guys never listen to my ideas so Puck told me to make myself useful and go spy so-"

"You went and spied on them?"

"No! Ok yes. But I really wanted to see them. Its an all boys school. I...I was hoping to meet someone-"

"A boyfriend?"

"No. Just a friend. Who understands what I'm dealing with. I'm tired of being alone."

"Did you meet someone?"

"...I did actually."

"One of those kids with the car today?"

"Yeah. The. The short one."

"With all that grease in his hair."

"Gel. Its gel, Dad. And it is a bit excessive but if that's what makes him feel comfortable then we can't tell him no. Everyone has their own style and that's his. Honestly I like it. It sets him apart from all the other boys."

"And he's just a friend?"

"Yes, dad. Just a friend. I promise. Besides even if he wasn't we can't date until after sectionals anyway. I refuse to wind up the next Rachel."

"Uhm...ok. Anyway. That was Monday, right? This is Thursday."

"Right. Ok. I...I was just. Classes are so easy dad. I'm bored at McKinley. I'm not challenged there, I'm really not. I wanted to see Dalton."

"For the classes."

"Right. For the classes."

"The boys never crossed your mind."

"Dad! I promise you that was the last thing on my mind today." That caught him a little off guard. There was a deep sincerity in his son's voice. Kurt had gone to an all boys school to do something other than try to get a boyfriend. Despite how hard he'd tried to get straight boys at McKinley to fall in love with him. That was more than a little suspicious.

"Do you want to transfer to Dalton?"

"I...well the short answer is no, I don't." The teen pushed at his food. It did smell absolutely amazing. He'd gotten his cooking skills from his mom. He was always helping her out in the kitchen. It honestly made Burt just the tiniest bit jealous. Of both of them.

"What's the long answer?"

"...Dalton is a _really_ great school. And all I had to do to make friends was say hi. And...and you know what Blaine said? After. After I saw the Warblers perform. He came up to me and you know what he said? He said 'you'd fit right in here.' Dad. I could fit in somewhere. Actually _belong_."

"You don't belong in the New Directions?"

"I do! Don't get me wrong, I do. I love McKinley, Dad. I love the New Directions. I _love_ my friends, Mr. Schue, I love it all. But Dad...At Dalton...I. I wouldn't be alone. You know, alone as in…"

"The only gay kid?"

"Yeah." Burt leaned over and rested his hand over his son's wrist. He wasn't using it to eat anyway. "I don't hate my life. I promise. I'm really happy."

"Kurt. I know I can't even pretend to know what you go through. But I am here for you."

"I know Dad. I love you."

"This new friend of yours...If you guys, oh I don't know, want to go see a musical or something, talk to me and I'll see what I can do. Is he into musicals?"

"I think so. He's definitely into music. Especially pop music. He's kind of obsessed with Katy Perry."

"Uhm."

"She's one of the most popular singers out there right now."

"You know I'm still stuck in the 80s."

"I know."

"Just let me know, alright? I'll see what I can do for you."

"Thanks. But we can't really hang out until after Sectionals anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because we're on opposing teams. It isn't right."

"Are you kidding me? Back when I was in school we used to mix and match all the time. Hell half the guys were dating the cheerleaders from our biggest rival."

"That's a bit different. The cheerleaders weren't actually playing the game."

"Well that's true. But you said you aren't dating right. And you aren't spilling secrets, right?"

"Of course not."

"So what's the big deal? Why don't you just hang out as friends?"

"It really wouldn't be fair to everyone else. Didn't we tell you what happened to Rachel?"

"The human omelette. I remember. You and Finn had her sandwiched between you on that couch for a week just watching the _weirdest_ movies I've ever seen. But this guy, these Dalton kids. They're good for you. And I won't tell anyone if you don't."

"...You're going to help me sneak around behind my friends backs to hang out with the enemy."

"Are they enemies or are they just friendly competition?"

"What's the difference?"

"One of them is your friend. You can face off against friends too." He could see the wheels turning away. So he left Kurt to figure it out as he dug into dinner before it got cold. "Mm. Kurt this is amazing."

"Thanks." He watched as his kid took a bird sized bite. "It could use a bit-"

"It's perfect the way it is. I like it this way."

"Ok! Ok."

"Do you think you could teach me how to cook?"

"...I think I'm up for that challenge."

"Watch it." Kurt had definitely gotten his sass from his mom too. He'd gotten everything from her. "And, Kurt?"

"Hm?"

 **"** **Next time you want to skip school, just call me and ask. I'm sure we can work something out."**


	4. Friday: Never Hesitate

Friday: Never Hesitate

After Burt Hummel's beautiful advice to sneak around and lie to his friends, Kurt had texted Blaine to ask what he wanted to do. Since they were, potentially, future best friends. They'd agreed that they'd keep it just the two of them, instead of all the Warblers (until after Sectionals), and they wouldn't do anything musical besides watching musicals. They would just hang out. Just like any other kids.

They would be normal teenagers.

The idea of being normal was weird. Kurt had been a freak for so long that the possibility of being a normal kid was the strangest possible thing that could ever happen to him.

To keep Finn off their trail, though, they agreed to wait until Monday before meeting again. Which honestly sucked because Kurt really needed Baine right now. He wasn't necessarily scared for his life (ok, yes he was, at least a bit) but he was afraid that things were about to get a thousand times worse. Apparently Karofsky wasn't as receptive to finding potential friends as Kurt was. Blaine was safe over at Dalton but Kurt? He was here. He was now. At any time he could just go telling people.

He wouldn't. Of course he wouldn't. He knew the fear his bully was held under. And Karofsky was able to hide. No one would ever know. Kurt knew it was eating him alive but he also knew that if he didn't talk then Karofsky could keep up the ruse forever. Which meant he was a ticking time bomb inside himself and a ticking time bomb for Kurt. His ever increasing attacks made it very apparent that he wasn't handling the closet very well. Kurt just hoped he came out before he became a murderer. Especially considering he was the one Karofsky was intending to kill. Something had to give before he couldn't move his arms anymore. The bruises were getting to be more than he could bear.

"Dressed up to the eyes

It's a wonderful surprise

To see your shoes and your spirits rise.

Throwing out your frown

And just smiling at the sound-"

Kurt sung along with the playlist as his sewing machine hummed away. He had to do something with his hands. Something where no one would see him if he started panicking if his own mind got the better of him.

Blaine's text ringtone went off. Kurt dropped everything immediately to check it.

Do you have Skype? - Blaine

Within minutes Kurt had an account set up and the program was ringing Blaine Anderson in on his computer.

"Hey!" the dapper teen called out as it connected.

"I thought you were busy with the Warblers tonight?"

"Well it became date night so I decided to just go home. Seriously. They decided to invite the girls' school and that never ends well for me."

"All the girls hit on you or something?"

"...Sometimes. I think they've figured it out now but I have had to break a lot of hearts."

"Oh I bet! Someone like you, who sings like you, who dances like you. What girl wouldn't want to date you?"

"I bet you have the same exact problem."

"Ahhhh not really. It's like I was born with a neon rainbow sign over my head. Everyone knew. The only time anyone even doubted it was when I wore my dad's clothes to school. And...well. She's really not the smartest girl. I love her, I do, but she told me she thought she was pregnant after she found a bird's nest. And you'll never guess who the father was."

"Uhm...Wait. Wait. Don't tell me you."

"Me."

"Why did she think it was you?!"

"Uhm...because we kissed. A couple of times. I told her that she has to actually have sex to get pregnant. Kissing isn't sex."

"Well well well, Kurt Hummel is a heartbreaker too."

"I don't think she was heart broken when I told her we weren't actually dating. Or having a baby."

"Well I've never had a girl think I got her pregnant so you're one up on me there."

"Well I've...never had a boyfriend."

"Neither have I."

"But, wait. I thought. Didn't you?"

"I had a date once. Two years ago."

"Oh."

"In Middle School. Which is kind of pathetic."

"Heeyyy. I've never even had a date so you're one up on me."

"You had a sort of girlfriend."

"I don't want to count that for anything, please." He watched his new friend throw his hands up in the air and lean back. If he looked over Blaine's shoulder he could just make out some of the details of the room, which was clearly Blaine's bedroom. And he had rather nice if boyish tastes. As the two lapsed into an awkward silence, Kurt's eyes trailed his own room for an idea.

"Is that a sewing machine?"

"Why yes, it is." Kurt scooped his laptop up and settled it at the end of his bed so he could show off his prize possession. "This is where all the fashion magic happens." Kurt waved his hands over it as though he was revealing a great secret. "A great many of my amazing ensembles have been created right here at this very station. Hard to believe I know. I've made a few masterpieces in my time, most of which you will find documented in a file on my computer marked 'maybe future.'"

"Maybe future?"

"Well I thought that maybe I'd have a future in fashion. It was something."

"Is that what you really want to do?"

"I don't know. I like it. So maybe. It's something. I wouldn't be unhappy. I wouldn't be unhappy running Dad's shop either though." Kurt lapsed into silence for just a brief moment before slapping his hands down on his knees to fill the quiet. "Didn't I promise to show you my Lady Gaga costume?"

"You did! You definitely did."

He dove into his second closet to pull out all the pieces of the old costume. "Every time people start talking about what they're going to do for the rest of their lives, or what I'm supposed to do for the rest of my life, I just start feeling so lost. I don't really want to think about five years from now right now."

"I thought that was just something seniors thought about."

"Well, when you realize at the age of five that while you love your dad very much you can't really see yourself becoming him someday, you tend to realize that you kind of have to start thinking early on about what you could really do with your life."

"I thought you said you'd be ok with that."

"I'd be ok owning and running the shop. But as much as I love him I don't ever want to be him. He has no fashion sense."

"Oh, of course. That makes perfect sense."

"Here it is!" He pulled the blue costume out and held it out. "Pointy shoulders and all."

"You made that?"

"And the shoes. And well I didn't make the wig but I styled it."

"Wig!" Kurt dove back into his special closet and returned from the land beyond with his shoes and wig. "Wow. Wow. Kurt that's amazing! You made all of that."

"It is a bit of a magnum opus I think. I'm not sure I'll be able to top it."

"I'm sure you can."

"...You're right. I could. But do I want to? This is pretty glorious."

"It really is."

"I think I want to focus on practical outfits from now on. Things I can wear every day. Maybe something with...pazzazz. Theatrical but in an everyday sort of way."

"After high school I'm going to have to come to you for fashion advice."

"What you plan to wear that uniform all summer too?"

"Uhm. I did last summer."

"Please tell me you're kidding."

"What? I really like it. And people don't mess with prep school boys."

"Because they think you're all snobs."

"Do you think we're snobs?"

"You go to an all boy's school and no one could fix Thad's car. Or even begin to identify the problem."

"Does that make us snobs though?"

"Yes. Adorable snobs, but still rich snobby boys." He glanced over to the screen to see if Blaine was upset. The boy wasn't. He wasn't even pouting. His smile stretched all the way across his face. Kurt really liked that about him. That smile made all the events of the day seem so far away. It was like he had the sun itself on a Skype call. "I could make you something."

"I appreciate the offer but it'll be years before I could wear it and I could grow."

"Oh could you?"

"I could. I could become as tall as that friend of yours."

"I bet you could!"

As he turned back to his closet to put things back, the door to his bedroom clicked open. The ache in his shoulders slowed him down, kept him from bolting out, getting the laptop turned around in time. He had barely made it to the middle of his room when Finn stepped off the last step. "Kurt, I just, I really wanted to say I'm...Hey! Why are you talking to him again!"

"Finn he's my friend-"

"Kurt don't do this to us, think about Jesse, remember you were the first one to call Rachel out on dating him-"

"Blaine is my friend!" And no matter how wrong their friendship was, Kurt needed Blaine right now. He needed someone stable who knew what it was like to be an invisible gay in this world. No matter if it made him a hypocrite, he needed this and he couldn't let anything take it away from him.

"Don't do this to us Kurt!"

"Finn, we're friends, or do you not want me to even have friends!"

"No! I want you to put the team before your own selfish needs. Why can't you do that for once?"

"Selfish! Do I need to remind you that your girlfriend sent a potential really good member to a crackhouse because she was jealous? Or when you quit because of your reputation? No, no, I'm really the selfish one here. Because I need to have a friend right now. Yeah that's as selfish as they come."

"What about us, huh? Aren't we your friends?" Finn started wringing his hands. He looked nervous. Terrified, maybe. Kurt really couldn't blame him, not entirely - the last time an attractive boy from a rival choir swooped in he'd snatched up Finn's girl and tried to destroy everything the New Directions had built all year. But this was a completely different situation. Kurt knew he wasn't anywhere near as selfish as Rachel and this bond wasn't coming out of a need to have someone fan his ego. He really, truly, needed Blaine because without that prep school rival of his he was the unrivaled king freak of the world by the sheer fact that he was the only person like him around. He was about to say as much when Finn continued on. "Or do we not matter because we don't all want to sing girly fru-fru songs and wear dresses!"

"I do not wear dresses." Let alone everything that implied about Blaine and their relationship together, it was an insult to Kurt himself. Not because wearing dresses was a bad thing. It was just that Kurt didn't and he resented the idea that because he was gay and kind of effeminate that he must also like to wear dresses. Like it was written down in a 'you must do this to be gay' handbook somewhere and he was breaking the big gay rules. Especially because of that effeminate thing.

"Boas, whatever. It's still women's clothing."

"I'm not a drag queen!"

"Could have fooled me! You go shopping with the girls so much that there are people who wonder if you even own men's clothing!"

"Are you really going to go for that Finn? Really! After everything that happened last year you still think it's ok to do that!" Kurt knew he didn't mean to do it. That didn't change the fact that he'd used Kurt's sexuality against him - again. Fighting was one thing. Attacking his sexuality and presentation of himself because it was an easy blow when they were fighting was an entirely different thing.

"You know that's not what I meant!"

"Oh 'you could have fooled me you crossdresser' sounds like it's very much up for debate to me."

"Uhm, I…" Blaine's voice came over the video feed.

"Just get out of my room Finn!"

"You know I really thought you were better than this," the other teen said. "I know, I love Rachel, but we expect her to act like this. She's kind of really selfish like that. But you? You've always put other people first."

"Yeah well maybe I don't want to be second, for once, Finn. Maybe I'm sick of always coming in last. Maybe I want to come first for once. Is that so bad? Sure Rachel's selfish but she's happy. But fine. You want to take away my happiness? Fine. I hope it makes you happy - oh wait it will because in the end you are just like the rest of them. All you care about is yourself. And I only matter so long as I'm sacrificing everything that I care about to keep the rest of you happy."

"That's not what I'm trying to do!" He turned directly to the laptop. To Blaine. "I swear that's not what I'm trying to do, I'm not like that. Last year Rachel dated a guy from Vocal Adrenaline and-"

"WE ARE NOT GOING TO DATE!"

A silence fell over the room. Over the entire house really. Kurt could hear his heart beating in his ears. He could feel the heat on his cheeks. He was too scared to look at his laptop. Even as Blaine cleared his throat.

"I uhm, I'm going to, uhm...I've got to get dinner ready for my mom, she's working late, it's only fair," the beautiful Warbler stumbled his way through his words before closing his laptop and disconnecting their call.

"Guys?" Burt called from the doorway. "Are you two ok down there? What's the yelling about?" The look on Finn's face was probably the most painful thing about this. His fear that Kurt was about to rat him out for what he'd said, get him kicked out again, and put an end to this family that they were trying desperately to create. Complete with a father figure he could actually have conversations with and get advice from. So Kurt made his decision based on how he truly felt, deep inside.

"Everything's fine Dad! We were just practicing for a skit!" He sacrificed what he was feeling to keep everyone else happy. At least, in the grand scheme. He wasn't about to forgive Finn so easily. And he knew that would hurt the younger teen. But he couldn't. Blaine was special and Finn had just cost him whatever it was they'd been creating.

"Oh. Sounds like you two have it down, so do you mind coming up and starting dinner? Carole's going to make it tonight but she's going to be a bit late. Maybe you can teach me a few tricks and I can tell her I helped. It'll be great."

"I'll be up to start it in a minute!" The two teens waited until the footsteps disappeared across the floor. Until it was clear Burt had settled down to watch some television. Until they heard the murmur of the sports channel recapping some game or another from the night before. "How was that for selfish."

"Kurt, I-"

"I hope it makes you feel fantastic because you just ruined the one good thing that I have right now."

"Kurt! I just...I don't want you to...to leave, or not do everything you can because you fell for some guy on the other team."

"Is that really all you think of me? Leave!"

"Kurt-"

"Leave me alone Finn!" The shorter teen didn't linger to listen to him. He hurried upstairs before he burst into tears on the spot.

"Kurt?" his dad called after him. "Woah hey are you-"

"I'm fine, Dad."

"You don't look fine." Kurt slowed his pace because his dad was trying to run after him. That wasn't ok. Not in his condition. He couldn't really lie either. But he couldn't tell the truth.

"I promise, I'm ok. Honest Dad."

"Kurt-"

"I'm going to be just fine."

"Going to be?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Ok. I can respect that. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Uhm. Well, you could get me a skillet, the cutting board, the ah, no I'll get the knives."

"What, think I can't handle it?"

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Well, do you know the difference between a paring knife and a chef's knife?"

"The chef's knife is the big one right?"

"Hmm maybe you can handle it."

Finn was hovering in the doorway. He didn't dare cross over into the kitchen. All Kurt had to do was give him one dirty look and the teen went scampering back to his sports on the television. At least there was one part of this house where he could still feel safe and trusted.


	5. Saturday: Always Comes too Late

Saturday: Always Comes Too Late

There had been whispers within the ranks of the New Directions. With their most fabulous male disappearing from school twice in one week, that extra little pep in his step when he was texting someone who was confirmed to not be a member of the New Directions since he hadn't texted any of them all week, and, most importantly, the way Finn had been sulking these last few days, it was clear.

Kurt Hummel was having an illegal affair with someone on the enemy team.

And Mercedes Jones was all for it.

Especially if this boy could give her main man something to smile about again. When he wasn't texting he was frowning and pouting and all the girls had definitely taken note. When lunch time came around he pushed the food about before pawning it off. Apparently Quinn had intel - on the grounds that she was in Geometry with Kurt - that the usually fairly straight A student wasn't turning in his homework. Mercedes herself had seen the French teacher talking to him about her concerns with his work. Or lack there of.

But then there were the times he was texting. She'd caught him doing his homework over lunch while texting back and forth. Particularly the French homework. Which led Mercedes to theorize that he was using those assignments to woo this new man. It was in line with Kurt's style. Subtly not subtle.

And without those texts today, he was down again and nothing had turned his frown right side up. Maybe tomorrow he'd be smiling again. Like he'd been smiling all morning Thursday. "Ok Hummel, it's time to spill."

"Spill what?" There he was, checking his phone again. It was like he didn't even notice that there was a super sale on all things bowtie right in front of his nose.

"Don't play dumb." She leaned up against his arm in just the way he never let anyone lean. "Who's the boo."

"What." He stepped away from her as though she was on fire.

"Kurt, all the rest of them might be too wrapped up in their boyfriends and girlfriends and all that drama, but I don't have a boyfriend. I get to spend all my time paying attention to you. And I've noticed that you've been acting quite a bit differently since we found out about that all boy's school competition we've got."

"Mercedes _don't_ start with me."

"Who's startin' something here? I'm happy for you. Just so long as you promise to keep me updated on everything. Well not everything, you can have some secrets, but I do want to know where you go on dates because I need to know all the best places-"

"We aren't dating."

"So there is a boy."

"There is no boy! At least...if there was going to be there isn't anymore." The diva spun herself in front of, well, another third of the New Directions divine diva trio and let her hands rest on his shoulders.

"You mean you had and broke up with a boyfriend in less than a week?"

"We weren't dating. And after last night we definitely aren't going to."

"What happened last night?"

"We were on Skype-" he pushed her hands away when she cocked her eyebrows up at that "-and Finn came downstairs and, and he started on about Jesse and I kind of maybe screamed about how I'd never date Blaine."

"So the future boyfriend's name is Blaine?"

"Yes! I mean no! Mercedes we aren't going to be boyfriends now. Not after _that_."

"This requires coffee." Her arm hooked effortlessly into his as she tugged him away from the bowties he wasn't even looking at anyway. Maybe a weird sale in the Hallmark store, or maybe the toy shop would be more up his alley. He could make his own broaches out of some of the things dug up in there. That kind of thing always meant more to him anyway. Plus he was really good at making the _strangest_ of things look good. Most of the time. But even when he didn't look good to her he still owned everything he wore with a kind of pride that made her jealous. No one felt that good in their own skin. But Kurt Hummel did. "So why don't you tell me about this _Blaine_. He's a Warbler right?"

"I think he's their lead singer."

"Ohhh so you aim high when you go after the opposing team. Well, to be fair Rachel did too."

"Jesse came to Rachel."

"And you went to Blaine?"

"Ok, so the short story is that Puck basically kicked me out of boys practice on Monday and told me to 'make myself useful' by spying on them. So I did. And. Well."

"You went straight for the cutest boy you found and he turned out to be the perfect future boyfriend?"

"No. I stopped the nearest boy on this super amazing spiral staircase they have right in the main hall of their school...and asked him what was going on. And it turned out it was Blaine. And the thing 'going on' was a rock-star style spontaneous performance by the Warblers. Well, Blaine and the Warblers."

"Wait let me guess. He looked right into your eyes and sang his love ballad right to you."

"Well if by love ballad you mean Katy Perry's anthem to being an adult and finding that one person that makes you feel as wonderful as only teenagers can dream of feeling-."

"But he sang it to you!"

"He sang it to the person right in front of him. And yes that happened to be me because I made sure I was center stage, but it was just choreography. He could have been singing to anyone."

"Shut up you know you're at least pretending it was for you."

"Actually...I'm not. I'm not going to do that to myself anymore Mercedes. I can't have a pretend relationship, I can't dream about things that'll never be. I'm keeping this completely real. The last two crushes I had were both completely wrong-"

"They were on straight boys."

"I said _both completely wrong_. I'm just going to wait and feel this out. If there's even anything to feel out. I mean he was talking last week about how he loves the idea of us being great _friends_ , and after last night?"

"Is that why you've been checking your phone all day?"

"...Maybe."

"Mmhm. You're fooling absolutely no one."

"Actually I'm fooling everyone except you."

"That's just because they're all obsessed with themselves."

"Fair. So you aren't upset with the whole Jesse-Blaine thing?"

"Well. The way I see it-you're far stronger than Rachel. If they try to turn you into a human omelette you'll completely destroy them. No one can break Kurt Hummel."

"True."

"And besides that, you're smarter than she is too. I trust you."

"Finn certainly doesn't."

"He's also deep in a relationship with the very girl who _can't_ handle something like this. He's face-to-face with someone who's insecure with themselves and everyone around them all the time-"

"There's one thing Rachel isn't insecure about. And that's who she is. She knows who she is."

"Hm. She may know who she is but she doesn't seem to think she's all that much."

"Well she does have all the hot cheerleaders, you, and _me_ to compete with." With a laugh, they stepped up in line and Kurt leaned in to order his new favorite coffee - a non-fat mocha. Then the two turned to find their table for two off in the corner of the land of no boyfriends and stepped right into a sea of fine men. In uniforms.

"Kurt!" one of them said.

"Uh, Trent?"

"I know we promised we'd keep our distance until after sectionals, but I swear we aren't here to cause any trouble. We needed to get presents for this gift swap thing we have going on and well, this is the only time we're really going to have to go shopping and uhm hey Blaine's here!" Mercedes couldn't help herself. She squeezed just a bit closer to her friend so she could follow his gaze until they both found this studmuffin of his.

It was hard to figure out which one it could be though. They were _all_ ridiculously attractive. And tall. And uniformed. Those uniforms were definitely a perk.

"Kurt," the tiniest among them said. "About, about last night." Oh no. Kurt's type was tall, sporty, and muscular. This one was short and he looked more like a puppy than Kurt's usual crush. Especially when he tucked his hand behind his neck and gave them a full frontal peek at those giant chocolate eyes of his.

Ok. He was definitely just as attractive as all the rest of them.

"No, no, it's, it's fine. I'm really sorry you had to see us fighting like that, it was...that was embarrassing."

"No, I mean, I'm sorry, for just hanging up like that. And not calling or texting."

"No, no it's fine I get it that was really-"

"I wanted to invite you to help us out, since you're so good at shopping. But then I remembered that Saturday was supposed to be your day with your friends-"

"This friend is more than fine with teaching you sorry lot how to buy things," Mercedes cut in. "I'm very good at shopping."

"You're not like the rest of them," another boy commented.

"At least, the guys," the one named Trent mumbled. "I thought we were all going to get beat up on Thursday just for coming anywhere near your turf."

"Oh, well, the boys are just protective," Mercedes said. "We've had bad experiences-"

"With Vocal Adrenaline," the whole gaggle of hot teenage men said together. They'd heard it before. They'd heard it plenty.

"Right."

"Hurry up you guys!" someone called. "I think I see a birthday party heading this way to take the table! There's room for Kurt and his lady too!"

She didn't need to be prompted to let go of her fabulous man. Mercedes let him go as he was vicariously saddled with coffee delivering duty through Blaine. Apparently the shortest Warbler had drawn the short straw today. Something told her that was on purpose.

"So, I just want to be clear, _that_ is Blaine, right?" she whispered to the five teens that surrounded her.

"So he does talk about Blaine!" said one of the taller types that Mercedes _would_ have expected Kurt to have a crush on were she not watching his casual leaning in and brushing up against Blaine's shoulder. She'd never quite seen him have so little problem with someone being up in his personal bubble before.

"No, I guessed and asked." She caught the disappointment on their faces. "Hey, give him a pass on that. He has a reason to hide things like this from us. And it's not about trust either. He trusts us. But..You know our history."

"Well, not really," another of the hunks offered. "We just know that it was apparently really bad and involved breakfast."

"Just eggs. The lead singer of vocal adrenaline seduced our lead singer, transferred to our school to be her boyfriend for a couple of months, then transferred back, broke up with her, kind of broke into our school to trash our choir room and perform on our stage without permission, and _then_ when she thought he was going to apologize and explain himself? Nah. He'd brought the whole crew over and got her out alone in _our_ parking lot and _egged her_. Jesse Boy-of-her-dreams? He smashed one right on top of her head. I should probably also mention that she's a vegetarian and it was months before she was able to sleep without having nightmares about dead chicks. It was _heartless_."

There were murmurs all around. They used weird words that Mercedes had never heard anyone in high school say but she gave them a pass. After all, they were all probably super rich and super rich kids were weird. At least she knew that the words were basically along the same lines of 'oh my god.'

"And, for the record, if any single one of you even thinks about starting to do anything to Kurt, we will destroy you. That goes double for Blaine."

"We would _never_ ," the boys assured her. "We have a very strict anti-bullying policy at our school. Even if we wanted to, we'd be at least suspended from the Warblers as soon as administration found out we were acting up. If not expelled outright from school."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"I hope you know I'll be holding you to that."

"With an experience like that," another chimed in, "we expect you to."

"We'd protect Blaine the same way," one of the others said. "I think, more than we'd protect anyone else. Because of what he's been through. Being with Kurt, he's opened up in ways we never expected. We thought we knew Blaine. But...he's never been _this_ happy."

"When Kurt's smiling, I could say the same thing. He's always seemed happy enough but...this is a different kind of happy."

"A deeper happy."

"Mmhm. I think I'm kind of jealous. That there's no one that makes me feel that way."

"Yet. You seem like a lovely lady. You'll meet...them."

"Him. I like boys almost as much as my best friend does."

"There's a boy out there for you." These boys were too sweet. Mercedes had to change the topic before they stole her heart the way Blaine had stolen Kurt's. She could easily fall in love with each and every one of them. Hot, and sweet. The perfect combination.

"Now, what is this gift exchange for?"

"Well its sort of a weird old tradition among the Warblers, started oh sixty years ago I think. For the first official performance of the season we all exchange gifts. It started as a senior-freshman swap, you know welcoming the new kids and saying 'have a great final year' to the old, but it kind of blossomed into an all-Warbler thing."

"Do the New Directions do anything like that?" Trent asked.

"Uhm, well, we just started last year," Mercedes told him. "And we haven't had any seniors yet. And actually we haven't had any 'new Freshmen' to welcome in either. Do you think we can count all the songs we sing for each other? We dedicate a lot of songs to people."

"Actually that sounds like a much nicer tradition, and cheaper too."

"Like you private school boys can't afford gifts."

"We get allowances just like every other kid!" the biggest Warbler protested.

"Mmhm. I bet you get more than five or ten dollars a week." The boys all looked sheepishly down at their hands. "Mmhm. That's what I thought."

"So, you must be Mercedes then?" one asked her.

"Ok, you guys know _my_ name but I had to call him out to find out Blaine's?"

"Well, that's a bit complicated. See, apparently they were making Saturday plans but Kurt said he couldn't because he was hanging out with Mercedes at the mall. Since he's here, and you're here, that must make you Mercedes. Blaine told us about it yesterday and so we decided to do some shopping too. Hope you don't mind."

"...You're trying to get them together."

"What? Nooo."

"Yes you are! You brought him here on purpose!"

"We had to! He's been moping all morning. And this new super happy Blaine is really great for practice. I don't think I've ever seen him so excited to sing. Every single day he bursts in with new ideas about what we could perform at sectionals. Half of them seem like subtle 'go out with me' songs but hey. _Look_ at them." All eyes turned to the two boys juggling the coffees. "They're going to be together before Sectionals. It's just going to happen."

"As cute as they are, I have to disagree with you. By Regionals sure. Maybe by Christmas. But not before Sectionals. Kurt wouldn't do that to us. Or to you guys."

" _Maybe_ by Christmas!" another exclaimed. " _Maybe_? Blaine's too hopeless a romantic to let that go on for even that long. I say Thanksgiving."

"Maybe we should raise the stakes on this a little bit," another said as he leaned in. "Whoever guesses the closest to the time they actually get together wins. Uhm. Something of their choosing?"

"Better be careful with that," Mercedes said. "For all you know I could you all to take me on dates and a mall shopping spree. One per person."

"Ok, so we'll work out the details of the prize later. But who's in?" Every single person around the table leaned in closer and offered murmurs of agreement. So the Warbler who came up with the plan pulled out his handy dandy Dalton notebook alongside his matching Dalton pen and wrote all their names down before taking down their guesses.

The bets were all over the place, of course. 'By sectionals.' 'By Thanksgiving.' 'By Christmas.' There was one bet for Valentine's day, due to Blaine's romantic side. It came down to the battle between Mercedes and the white senior boy - she still only knew Trent's name, so that was what she designated him for the time being. Since the three seniors were all there different ethnicities.

"I thought you were all for them getting together by sectionals," she pushed as she put down the exact date of Regionals.

"Oh of course I'm for it, but you're right. Kurt seems too honorable to do that."

"Then how about Christmas?"

"Because you know Kurt better than we do, and I know Blaine better than you do. And if everything I've learned this week is any indication, I think there's going to be a stalemate between them. I think they'll be together but not admit it long before spring, and then right around Regionals when they happen to wind up singing together at the Regionals party we will be hosting and inviting you to-"

"Oh of course. Cheering us on for our upcoming win that's going to send us right to Nationals."

"They will have their first kiss and realize that they are, in fact, dating, and have been since they first laid eyes on each other."

"So, according to you, they're already dating and they just don't know it. So this whole thing is just 'when will they realize they're a couple and kiss already'?"

"Pretty much. And that's what I put my bet on. The week _before_ Regionals."

"That's really risky of you. Cutting it so close to mine."

"I like to gamble."

"What if they don't get together? Or wait until the end of the year, or summer?"

"Well clearly that's not going to happen."

"We have to have a clause for it anyway."

"Hmmm fine. If none of us are right then no one wins. After we get the rest of the boys' bets we'll come up with a suitable punishment. And suitable rewards for whoever wins."

"Wait, wait you're going to-"

"Shh they're coming over here!"

"You could help!" Blaine scolded as the other boys didn't even begin move even the tips of their fingers.

"You seem to have it under control," the Mastermind Warbler said.

It wasn't until the two were sitting down that she realized the Warblers had left two side-by-side chairs for them. Or that the boys were edging closer to them to make them edge closer to each other. These guys were sneaky.

"I hope my friends haven't been causing too much trouble," the tiny hottie gay Warbler said.

"I can see why you've been skipping out to hang with these guys," Mercedes laughed. "They're _fine_." Everyone erupted into laughter. The Warblers didn't care and it was damn beautiful. Not quite as beautiful as the way Kurt tried to cover up his embarrassment while keeping his head up though. Or the way Blaine patted his shoulder in comfort, the way he leaned over and whispered something that set her friend giggling, or the flashforward Mercedes was having of being the maid of honor at their wedding day. Because those two men would make fine grooms together and she was positive that by the time they were ready they would be allowed to.

They just had to wait to realize they were on that road until Regionals. Of course she wouldn't do anything to impede them getting together sooner but she definitely wanted to win this bet. The possibility of all those boys at that pretty rich private school owing her something already had her mind turning. She was definitely already spending their money on her must-have items.

Though when Blaine leaned in to whisper another secret into Kurt's ear she was starting to second guess her bet. Maybe they would be together by Thanksgiving after all.

Blaine felt the cracker-like bread break between his fingers. "So, Breadstix huh? Are the breadsticks supposed to be this-"

"Awful? Yes." He looked into those beautiful eyes. Bright as the sky. They'd gotten permission from Mercedes to separate from everyone else for dinner. He hadn't quite asked the Warblers for permission but something told him they didn't mind. They - and Mercedes - apparently had made other plans while he and Kurt were getting coffee anyway. He was honestly too scared to ask. It would all come out eventually. Especially if he and Kurt kept doing...whatever this was.

And he definitely wanted to keep doing whatever this was.

"Are you sure it's ok for us to get dinner here? As honored as I am that you'd fight for me, I don't want to come between you and your friends, and isn't this _the_ hangout for McKinley kids?"

"Date night-nevermind. I'm pretty sure none of them had plans to come out here today. I'm usually in the loop about absolutely everything that goes on in that club. If there were a contest for top gossip...I'd probably tie with Mercedes and Tina. Sometimes they find out about things I don't because the boys confess things to them. But then sometimes I find out about things they don't for the same reason. It just depends, I guess."

"On?"

"If they're confessing something tied to their emotions or not. Emotions are more tied to the girls. I guess I should be grateful for that. Since it means they _do_ treat me like one of the guys. But in times like those I'd much rather be the first one to find out that Puck is the babydaddy than to have them complaining about their weird sports related rashes to me. Just because I know how to take care of skin doesn't mean I want to hear about their issues."

Blaine couldn't help but laugh. Not just because of the skin rashes or the baby daddy but because of the way Kurt's nose wrinkled up as he talked. The way his hands tossed themselves up into the air to emphasize his points. Or how they clasped down on the table when he was done.

"McKinley sounds like a lot of fun."

"It can be."

"The public school I was at didn't have any of this drama. Though...I _was_ in middle school. High school ups the stakes."

"I heard a rumor that a couple of eighth graders had been arrested for trying to sell drugs at school. I'm pretty sure that was an exaggerated rumor born from kids being suspended over pretending that chalk dust was crack. There hasn't been an actual drug scandal at McKinley since the 80s. _Somehow._ Alcohol though? I'm pretty sure most of the senior class is classifiably alcoholic. But that problem keeps getting passed over. Thankfully."

"Thankfully?" He didn't get a reply. Kurt just turned to his drink and chugged away at the sugary goodness and then, just when he was about to start thinking Kurt was part fish, the topic changed.

"What school did you go to before anyway?"

"It was a couple hours from here. We'll never clash with them. Thankfully. I'm so glad that they were awful performers. Awful at sports too. They kill at the academic decathlons though. Which is why I avoid any of that sort of thing at Dalton." He melted a little when the tips of Kurt's fingers brushed against the side of his hand. "I can't face them. Even if the kids who...who were the worst, even if they'll never be on those teams. I just can't go. My mom calls me in sick on days when they'll be at Dalton. It only happens once a year so she doesn't think it's a big deal."

"Have they come by yet?"

"Not this year. Their visit is in November."

"Tell me when they come." It was sweet, the way Kurt's fingers curled up but his hand remained brushed up against Blaine's. They weren't holding hands but it almost, in a way, felt like they were. "I'll talk to my dad about skipping school and we can meet up and hang out. Ok? You don't have to be alone. I'll be there for you."

"Last year all the Warblers tried to cut out at lunch to keep me company." He watched as Kurt leaned back and tucked those soft hands down into his lap. "But I didn't want them to. They try really hard to understand but most of them have never even had to deal with a bully. The worst that has ever happened was a push on the playground in elementary school or something. Normal stuff."

"Oh." Those sweet eyes followed the same motions as his hands had - darting straight to his lap.

"Kurt." Their eyes locked onto each other. "It would mean the world to me if you would do that. Cut school and be with me. But I don't want you to sacrifice your grades-"

"Don't worry about that. School is easy."

"Ok, please don't think I'm being creepy or snoopy but I uh, when you were pulling things out of your bag, I saw your Geometry score."

"...That was just one test. I haven't been able to do the homework lately. It's not hard though." His voice was shaking. Blaine leaned in. He wanted to take those hands up in his but they were still below the table. Besides, holding hands wasn't appropriate for people who weren't going to be dating. "I just…"

"Is it because of the bullying?"

"...Yeah." Blaine chewed on his lip for a moment. As much as he wanted to help Kurt out, it was probably better if he had someone at his own school who was on the same page and doing the same problems as Kurt. He could figure things out, sure, but for all he knew his school was on an entirely different chapter. Dalton was rather advanced due to being private.

"I wish I could help. What about Finn?"

" _Finn_?"

"Yeah. He's basically your brother, right? And he's in your grade-"

"He's really bad at math. _I_ am the one who helps him. When I can. Besides, we aren't really on good terms right now. I think. Ugh, who am I kidding. I'm so mad at him. I don't _want_ to talk to him. He's being completely ridiculous about all of this and you know the longer this goes on the more I realize how annoying he is. When Mercedes found out, you know what she said? She said 'I trust you.' He can't even say that. No, no to him I'm someone to be controlled. I'm the one who has to make all the sacrifices for everyone else. It's like I'm not _allowed_ to be happy. And Blaine I'm so sorry you had to see that last night. I really am. He just made me so mad this week."

"Kurt I don't blame you. Not that I have anything against drag queens and cross dressers, but if anyone accused me of it just on the grounds of me being gay, I'd be pretty upset too."

"And that isn't the first time he's done something like that. Used my sexuality against me, as though I should be ashamed of who I am."

"Did he mean it?"

"No! But that's not the point. He still _said_ it. That hurts just as much. No. It hurts more. Because when the bullies say those things I know that they aren't worth paying attention to. Their words don't matter. Finn is supposed to be my friend. And my friends - especially in glee, after all we've been through? We're supposed to support each other. Sure we bicker but. This is just so low." Holding hands surely would be allowed as Kurt's mood darkened. But Kurt's hands were still tucked down in his lap. So Blaine took a chance. After the server set down their dinners, he moved around the end of the table and sat beside his friend.

The way Kurt tensed up and scooted away had him second guessing his chance. But it was just a few seconds later that his new friend scooted back. Just to where he'd been sitting previously.

"I hate fighting with him," Kurt whispered. His voice was so low that Blaine realized why he'd moved back. It was secret telling time. Something that absolutely no one else was allowed to be privy to. "I never knew how much I wanted a brother before."

"...yeah. I. Me too."

"You're an only child?"

"More or less."

"...more or less?"

"Well my brother is a lot older than me so it's like I don't have one at all."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"It's ok. Besides, when you're a Warbler it's like having a dozen or so brothers that are always in your business. They mostly make up for it. Though I do love the idea of having just one brother that's mine, that worries about me and talks to me about...oh I don't know. Stupid things. Brother things."

"Actually that sounds like you want a sister and a couple extra mothers."

"I would not mind a sister either. But mostly a brother I could be close to. Who, oh, I don't know, is so worried about me that he'd chase away boys that could break my...spirit. My spirit." Not his heart. Blaine wasn't about to tell Kurt that his heart was exactly what Finn was protecting.

"For the record that isn't an attractive brotherly trait. Especially for a brother who's used to being so popular he never had to figure out how to survive by himself. He doesn't know what it's like. To _finally_ meet someone who gets it. I have friends, don't get me wrong. But…You."

"I know. You too."

"Really? But the Warblers-"

"They're pretty much all straight. There was _one_ who wasn't but he graduated in the closet. He wouldn't even talk about it with me. Because of his parents. Dalton has an anti-bullying policy for the students but...they can't control bad parents. And I mean I've already told you how much experience they have with dealing with bullying. It's been two years but...sometimes, I still jump when someone comes up behind me."

"Yeah I can't imagine that goes away easily...Lockers are the worst for me."

"There aren't really lockers at Dalton."

"Are you trying to steal me away?"

"Maybe."

"Hmm. Does it help if I say that Dalton is very quickly becoming my second choice school? If I had no other choice. If I had to leave McKinley. That's where I'd go."

"I'm glad. And, for the record I think Finn would be ok with that." His friend snorted into his soda.

" _Right_. He'd probably lead the Kurt's-a-traitor charge."

"Have a little faith in him. If you had no choice I'm pretty sure he'd be able to figure out that you aren't betraying the team. I'm pretty sure he'd want you to come to Dalton, if you had to."

"You don't know him like I do. Especially with Rachel whispering in his ear. If I leave they can't compete so they'd want me to do everything possible to stay no matter what happens. I'm sure of it." He watched as Kurt wrapped his arms around himself and as his head bowed down. This wasn't the hopeful teen that he'd been hanging out with. This was Karofsky-just-kissed-me Kurt. Broken down and scared. So beat down that he didn't even have faith in his own friends anymore.

"They love you. They wouldn't do that. Do you really think your friends are that shallow?"

"Rachel once sent a girl to a crackhouse because the other girl was a better singer."

"...and she's your friend?"

"She's not the worst human being alive. Actually...she can be nice too. She's just really, really selfish. And honestly that really works for her. She always gets everything she wants. _Always_. Eventually. Hmph. Maybe I should try it."

"No offense but she doesn't sound like a person I would like to be friends with. And I like being friends with you." His hand fell upon Kurt's shoulder. "So you're going to have to just keep being you."

"Oh is that how this works?" There was a smile. And Kurt was eating a bit. Blaine hadn't missed how he avoided his food for the last ten minutes. His own plate was half empty already. "If Finn has it his way we can't be friends anymore. I'm actually more afraid of them hating me than I am of Karofsky. Because if they hate me then...then I'll be alone at school and I can't go back to that life. Especially not now, not after everything that's happened, and with everything that's going on. It almost killed me back then. Not that this won't...nevermind."

"Kurt." The 'not that this won't' did worry him, but he put that in the category of Kurt being extremely worried. Plus Karofsky was huge and one wrong push could easily put his friend in the hospital. It was scary and he didn't want to think about it, but it was also very much a fact. "I won't let that happen to you. Even if they did do that, and I really don't think they will, I promise, we'd pool everything we had to bring you to Dalton. The Warblers adore you. If you needed to get away, I promise we would do whatever we could to get you to safety."

"Thank you."

"And for the record...if Finn didn't want you to be happy he wouldn't have shown up at Dalton this morning with his hands up in the air like he was surrendering to us as a hostage." Maybe he should have waited until Kurt had eaten more of his dinner, based on the way he dropped his fork and spun to face Blaine.

"He didn't!"

"He did. And he didn't even try to dress up like a Dalton boy."

"He couldn't have pulled that look off anyway. What did he do?"

"Well. First he crashed our early morning practice. People were upset, he offered to buy coffee then didn't have enough cash but we liked the break anyway so no harm there. Then me, Wes, David, and Thad all had a nice talk with him."

"About? Come on, you can't skip the details now."

"Well, first he apologized, and promised that he isn't against friendship. If that's all we're after. He doesn't think there should be any dating between groups but that wasn't going to happen anyway, right?" Given last night. Blaine tried not to let his voice waver as he recited the same thing that had been flowing between them since the beginning - they couldn't date. And they both knew it.

And really, wasn't it better that way? Kurt _was_ an amazing friend. If they jumped into being boyfriends then they could easily flame out and grow to resent each other and then they would lose what could be the most amazing relationship he could ever imagine. Would he mind dating Kurt? Absolutely not. But having Kurt in his life at all was far more important than having a boyfriend. So he focused instead on friendship. On making that friendship as deep as he possibly could. Especially since he really felt that this friendship could be easily the most special thing that ever happened to him. He just knew it was going to be.

"Yeah. Right."

"So, basically we figured out that he's not really comfortable with basically losing you to the Warblers - which we convinced him wasn't happening, we're just helping out, giving you a safe space-"

"Did you tell him that."

"Yes?"

"Ugh. Great. I bet I can predict what next week's lesson is going to be."

"Lesson?"

"Ok so every week we have a theme or lesson for the week to work on, express ourselves through song, things like that."

"And somewhere in there you practice right?"

"...Kind of. We manage. Actually last year on both occasions we picked our song list at the last minute and we crushed at sectionals."

"And regionals?"

"...ok this is going to sound really bad, but the judging was literally stacked against us. Someone who absolutely hates us and glee clubs in general was judging, and so was Olivia Newton John and they made a music video together last year."

"Olivia made a new music video?"

"A remake of an old one. You know what the worst part is though?"

"What?"

"We had _just_ won Coach Sylvester her sixth consecutive nationals cheerleading trophy literally the week before Regionals and she was still out to get us!"

"The New Directions double as cheerleaders?"

"No. Just three of us were pulling double duty. Mercedes was too but she didn't like kind of person it was trying to turn her into."

"Should I be worried about you?"

"I'm too strong to be swayed by fame. Besides, being gay is apparently a far worse thing than being overweight. Even Cheerios couldn't make me popular. But at the very least you can still look up my performance. It's still all over the cheerleading blogs. The Cheerios are held up as the team everyone should aspire to be like and I was center stage." The way Kurt shimmied his shoulders with pride made Blaine almost want to just-NO! He wouldn't. They were just friends.

"I will definitely be looking that up."

"Call me if you need translations."

"Translations?"

"My entire performance was in French. I think the judges thought I was a French exchange student but whatever. It was probably my best work to date."

"Wow. You're just full of surprises aren't you."

"What else did Finn say?"

"Uhm...oh. After we convinced him that we weren't trying to steal you, we talked for a long while about how bad he felt and how he really does just want you to be safe and happy in the long run and not end up like omelette girl."

"Ughh. I'm not going to end up like Rachel. First of all if you ever did anything like that I'd be the first person to delete your number from my phone. I wouldn't go out alone to the parking lot that's just really shady-"

"Well apparently she really liked him, maybe loved him who knows. Finn sure seemed to think she did. Apparently they slept-"

"False. Finn thinks she did, truth is she didn't. I know these things."

"...Oh. Well, he thinks she did. So he thinks she loved him. But our friendship is different than that."

"...Right."

"He's just worried about you. And like most people he's terrible at saying it."

"...He still didn't have to attack how I dress."

"I do agree with you there." As Blaine leaned in to take a bite, he realized what Kurt was doing. The teen tugged on his clothes and pulled at his buttons as he not-so-casually watched Blaine out of the corners of his eyes.

"Do I-" Kurt was definitely fishing for compliments. Blaine was happy to oblige.

"No. Or maybe yes depending on the question. Kurt you look fine. I really like your style. I don't think there's anyone else in the world who can pull off most of the things I've seen you wearing this week. It's...unique. All you, and only you. No one else will ever be able to copy it and I kind of adore that."

"Thank you." It was beautiful to see him perk up. He'd been up and down all day but for now he was smiling. Now that the hard talk was out of the way, Blaine was determined to do everything he could do to keep that smile plastered on his face. He deserved to smile.

"You really have great friends. Even if they're terrible at showing it."

"Finn can actually be pretty good with words. If you can understand what he's trying to say."

 **** **"** **I bet."**


	6. Friday: Doesn't Even Start

Friday: Doesn't Even Start

 _We're going to start getting jealous of this crush I don't even think most of us have seen you outside of practice in two weeks - Wes_

 _Hey Blaine, want some tickets to RENT? - David_

It had been hard this past week to keep Kurt from seeing his phone. The device was constantly buzzing and there wasn't a single message he wanted to share. Every single Warbler was texting him, it seemed. Half of them seemed to be trying to force him and Kurt to get together. There had been countless offers and nudges and suggestions for restaurants and other places to go. There were so many of them that he was starting to think it was a joke.

But of course he hadn't turned down those tickets. It was _RENT_. There was absolutely nothing in this world that could keep him from putting his behind in one of those sold-out theater seats. Even as he knew he was playing right into their hands by accepting the gift.

Well, to be fair, he hadn't turned down the other offers either. He and Kurt had definitely taken the offer to go out to someone's lake cabin and enjoy a bonfire and some s'mores on Tuesday. Just a bunch of Dalton boys and the public school kid who fit right in. No questions asked. Ok - there were a lot of questions asked. All about public school life. None of them had ever gone to a public school, except Blaine, but, as he'd found out that night, apparently they hadn't been comfortable asking him. They had all felt a need to protect the kid who'd come in terrified out of his mind and was scared of both crowds and of being alone, rather than pester him with their curiosities. Kurt was different.

He was confident and he carried himself with the poise of a royal whenever he was around the Warblers. There weren't any giants lurking down the hall keeping an eye on strangers that were after him but there was a whole school full of boys who adored him.

It was as though he'd always been there. Just one of the guys. He fit in wherever he went it seemed. Yet he was even more than that too. He was the star of the show. The entire scene was always built around him when he was around. Or maybe Blaine was just biased. Kurt was absolutely beautiful to look at.

Beautiful…and broken. By what, Blaine couldn't be sure. He'd been up and down all week, just like Saturday. The younger teen had tried to keep track once he'd noticed that it was continuing on. Perhaps Kurt had bi-polar disorder. It was a possibility. But when they were with the group just laughing and singing and telling stories there hadn't even been a blink of sadness. That was when Blaine noticed the pattern.

Whenever people - particularly any of the guys - let their hands linger on his back or shoulders, he pulled away. Roughly sometimes. Sometimes when Blaine leaned in to whisper to him he jumped. Sometimes when Blaine forgot himself and started flirting again, Kurt's bashfulness from the week before disappeared into downturned eyes and a grimace hidden in his cheeks. By the time RENT had actually rolled around Blaine had half expected to get a call or text from Kurt saying he couldn't make it. That their friendship was just too weird, or something. He tried not to take it personally but it really seemed like they were reaching that point very, very quickly.

He hadn't.

He'd actually shown up to pick Blaine up five minutes early, apologizing for taking so long and saying something about being lucky that Finn and his dad were obsessed with some sports game or he would have been even later. And he also happened to be dressed very, _very_ elegantly. And Blaine could almost swear he was smelling a very sweet cologne. Until he realized it was hand lotion. A very nice hand lotion though. That Kurt very nicely shared with him. Which meant he'd smell the smell of Kurt for hours to come assuming he didn't wash his hands.

Which was not an ok thought to have. This was not a date. They were not dating. They were not on a date together. Kurt wasn't interested in him like that. That was becoming extremely clear between all the little mannerisms and of course shouting at Finn that they were _not_ going to date. That was a completely transparent message. They were not going to date. End of story.

So Blaine had focused on being a friend. Not touching Kurt, not whispering to him or flirting with him or anything. He'd focused very hard on just being friends. Through the entire production. Even when they'd both started crying when Angel died and he really really _really_ needed to cling to Kurt, he kept his hands to himself and just dug his fingertips into his knees. It was after the final bows had been taken and the crowd was starting to push its way out the doors that he found Kurt practically in his arms. Every time someone else pushed carelessly past his friend moved closer, and closer. Until they were pressed against each other, squeezed between a group of college kids and a rather beautiful looking gay couple and...Kurt's friend Rachel? They passed by too fast for Blaine to really be sure.

At the very least she hadn't seemed to notice them at all, if it was her. She'd just taken hold of each man's hand and disappeared out the door.

"Move!" someone behind them demanded. Then they just shoved on by.

" _Geeze_ these people are rude!" Blaine grumbled. Suddenly he felt a hand digging into his blazer. An arm wrapping around him. A face pressing down on his shoulder. And a jolt when another person just bumped right into them. "What?"

"I need to get out of here."

"Oh. Ok. Uhm...Play along, ok? EXCUSE ME! MY FRIEND IS SICK! LET US THROUGH!" That did the trick. Kurt was a superb actor too. He wrapped his arm around his stomach and curled his back right over, letting out a little pitiful moan to punctuate Blaine's pleas. "PLEASE!" People were eager to back away, cooing all the while and asking if he needed help. "No, thank you though, no thank you," Blaine said to each of them as he hurried his friend down to the bathroom.

Was it weird to be in the bathroom with someone he was attracted to? The thought of peeing in front of Kurt was definitely...odd. Not because he was afraid like those boys at his old school had said they were whenever he tried to go but because...well, that was something kind of private and, well, special. If they ever went down that path.

Which they wouldn't, apparently, so he wiped the thoughts away. Besides it wasn't like they were here to pee anyway.

Kurt latched onto a sink and grabbed a paper towel, dampening it and dabbing at the sweat on his brow. "Are you ok?" Blaine whispered to him.

"Not here," Kurt whispered back. They both looked up to find two burly men holding hands behind them. It was _beautiful_. Their future, someday. Not the burly part, and not together - apparently - but they would each find a man's hand to hold proudly no matter where they were. Blaine was sure of that. "I need to go home." Just a few hours ago Blaine would have thought it impossible for Kurt to look any paler than he did naturally. He was wrong. Kurt looked actually sick.

"Ok." Arguing was out of the question. He remembered what it was like when he'd begged Cooper to just drive him home, back when he was still in elementary school, and instead Cooper had tried to make him face up to the bullies. He still resented his brother for that. Among other things. When someone needed to go home there was no room for argument.

The whispers when he wrapped his arm around Kurt to try and help him duck through the crowds weren't lost - on either of them apparently, as Kurt stepped away from him and took charge, leading the push.

Right. Touching was off limits. No one was allowed to touch Kurt Hummel. Not him, not Finn, not anyone.

Apparently Kurt was a pro at slipping unnoticed through crowds. How, Blaine would never understand. He wasn't particularly short (though in comparison to the other men around he did look rather small), and he definitely didn't blend in, not even the tiniest bit. Yet he managed to duck through the people fairly unnoticed. Even Blaine didn't have that kind of luck and he was even smaller. He bumped into and had to apologize to more than just a few of the theater's patrons. Including that girl who he was _certain_ was Rachel. Thankfully she didn't seem to realize he was a Dalton boy, or that he was here with one of her singers.

The night air was crisp against his cheeks. October could do that. It wasn't freezing but it wasn't warm either. Kurt was already ducking between cars and getting into his. There wasn't a struggle this time. Blaine ran to make sure he didn't get left behind.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he said before he'd even settled into his seat.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Kurt you're shaking. You can trust me, I promise. I won't tell anyone. I swear. Not a soul. I'm here for you. I want to help you."

Silence hung over them. There were people passing by, going to their own cars. When they both spied Rachel and her dads - her _dads!_ That put a small smile on Blaine's face, despite what was happening around him - Kurt turned the car on and got them out of there. He didn't talk, but he didn't drive Blaine home either. They wound up parked in the town's park, abandoned because of the late hour.

"So are we going to talk?" Blaine whispered. As though speaking any louder would break the spell and send Kurt into a fury to drive him home. Or worse. Leave him to walk home. Kurt wasn't that type though.

"I don't want to. Talking makes it so _real_. And when I'm hanging out with you, it's like...what happens at McKinley is happening in a whole other life. But then someone says something or….well, it makes me think about it all and it's real again and I don't want it to be real right now."

"What happened to fighting?"

"Fighting I can handle. I'm used to people picking on me, pushing me around. It's scary but...that's _normal_ for me. Blaine, he's..he's _flirting_ with me. I think. Between shoving me so hard I think my spine is going to break, he's always winking at me. It's...it's disgusting. And...and I just can't help but think...you know, I used to dream about having someone who would do those little things. We'd be down the hall, we'd know we couldn't hold hands, but we'd still wink, or something, and we'd know. That was all we'd need. Just a little wink or nudge or smile. I feel so sick when he does it. I have _everything_ I wanted, and it's nothing like I wanted it to be."

"Wow. I...I have to admit I was not expecting that. Though I probably should have. I mean. If he didn't have a crush on you why would he have kissed you."

"Oh my god he has a crush on me!" Apparently Kurt hadn't done the math himself on that one.

"What else would it be?"

"I don't know trying to hook up with the only other gay boy he knows? Oh my god, what if he actually likes me. Oh my god. No!"

"Woah, ok, ok, calm down, it's ok."

"Blaine he's twice my size! If he wants something I don't exactly stand much of a chance against him."

"...what do you mean wants something." Kurt didn't say the words. He just looked right into Blaine's eyes and jutted his chin out and rolled his hand around and around. "You mean. What if he tries to... _get_ with you."

"Yes."

"Oh."

"I was on the football team, I know how strong he is."

"You were what."

"Blaine!"

"Right! Sorry. I just. Wow. I never even...Kurt, that's...You have to tell someone."

"No. I can't. I can't just _out_ someone."

"But he could really, _really_ hurt you. I could-"

"NO! You promised. You can't tell anyone. You promised you wouldn't." Of course his foolish promise would bite him. But he'd had no way of knowing that potential rape was on the table. It was a very legitimate fear, looking back at everything. Especially that very much unwanted kiss. "Besides...who would believe me anyway? Apparently I have a reputation at that school because I had a crush on Finn last year. They'd just say that I was trying to get with him, he's straight after all, as far as they know. I'm the creepy gay kid."

"What about your dad? He seems to be on your side."

"He is. He...he probably would, actually. Believe me I mean. But...I especially can't tell him."

"Because he'd do something about it?" Blaine grumbled as he started to cross his arms. He understood the fear of the backlash when people started to try to fight. That didn't mean he was ok with this.

"Because it could kill him."

"...I don't think-"

"He had a heart attack not that long ago. He was in a coma for a _week_. Blaine when we brought him home, I was in charge of making sure his at-home IV was hooked up right and making sure he didn't overexert himself. And of...of just watching as the strongest man I've ever known was reduced to being barely able to pick up his fork." Blaine wanted to wipe the tears off of his cheeks. Instead he kicked the car door open. "What are you doing?"

"There's a bench, right over there next to the pond. I was just thinking it's always really calming to look at the stars. So...why don't we go make up some constellations?"

"I have to be home by midnight."

"Don't worry Cinderella. We have plenty of time."

"I am so not Cinderella. My future step mom is awesome."

"Your dad proposed?"

"Ugh, not yet. He's going to though. I just _know_ it. He's in love. And he's been asking me a lot about how I feel about all of this, about Mom, all of that. So it's happening. It's on his mind." The Dalton boy waited until Kurt pocketed his keys and hopped out before he did the same. Just in case Kurt wasn't down with his plan.

"Is your mom upset or something?"

"She died nine years ago."

"OH! I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"You didn't know. It's ok. I'm just glad you've never mistaken me for her on the phone. People still do that. Even though it's been almost a decade. She still gets phone calls. Well, did. We stopped paying for a landline two years ago. But Dad still has a landline at the shop, and even there sometimes we'll get calls. They're always trying to sell her beauty products. And hand lotion." He sent Blaine a wink that made the boy roll with laughter.

"So that's where you get all your best stuff, huh?"

"Some of it. I don't care if those products are 'for girls.' They are _amazing_. I love how healthy my skin is and I want to keep it that way."

"I agree. I mean, I don't spend hours working on my skin but I do make sure to wash it every night, rub some lotion on-"

"Oh be still my heart, there are other boys out there who care about how they look!"

"I just don't want wrinkles at twenty five. My father looks a _lot_ older than he is. I don't want to end up like him. Then again he never took care of himself and has a lot of bad habits that I refuse to pick up but it never hurts to put in the extra effort."

"If you're really lucky you'll take after your mom then. Me, I'm screwed either way. Dad's not the healthiest guy in the books, Mom...Well. But hey, at least I look amazing. Physically I completely won the megamillions lottery."

"Yes you-I mean. So uhm. Lotion." As they settled down on the bench, Blaine made sure to stay as far to the right as possible. Kurt sat down close enough that their arms touched.

"You can tell me I'm handsome. I won't go assuming things."

"You are quite attractive."

"Thank you." His bright eyes turned up towards the stars. They weren't incredibly clear, but the park wasn't in the center of town so at least they weren't at the center of the light pollution. It wasn't glorious but they were still the same beautiful stars, no matter how many of them they could see. "So are you you know. From one friend to another."

"Right. From one friend to another. You know I think all the most attractive men in Ohio somehow found their way into our two Glee clubs."

"If I had something to toast with, I would toast to that. It's true! Really how can they expect us to never get crushes when we're surrounded by so much hottness. They're all allowed to have crushes."

"Because it's not scary when a boy gets a crush on a girl or a girl on a boy. Or even a girl on a girl. But a boy crushing on another boy?"

"End of the world!"

"Mmhm. Or at Dalton it's hilarious. Trust me it's very easy not to get crushes on straight boys at Dalton. As soon as they find out your life is over. In the good way. They always think it's so cute."

"That...is not a reaction I'd ever expect to hear."

"Me either. It makes it a lot easier to squash the crushes when they come up, when we can talk about it and be honest. Rather than the other guys getting defensive. Though...I did run into the 'wait why don't you find _me_ attractive' problem. And it wasn't that he was unattractive at all. He just...looked almost exactly like my older brother. And _that_ is the biggest turn off in the world."

Smiles overtook any frowns they'd had before. Kurt really was the best friend he'd ever had.

Of course it took only moments for the smile to go away. His new best friend leaned back against the hard bench - then shot away from it like it was on fire. Which Blaine knew for a fact it was not. It was actually very cold. It was the grimace, though, that raised the flag of suspicions to full mast.

"Kurt, what's wrong with your back?"

"It's nothing."

"No it's not. I'm not blind I can plainly see that you're in pain."

"Blaine I'm fine!"

"Let me see it then."

"No!"

"Kurt."

"It's cold out here."

"Then we can go back to the car and turn the heat on. Let me see."

"I don't want to."

"Kurt you know I'm not going to judge you. And I promise not to tell. But...I've...I've dealt with injuries before. Maybe I can help you." There was silence for a moment, then Kurt turned away from him.

"Just my back. You can't look at anything else."

Apparently Kurt Hummel was a bit prudish. Blaine hoped that wasn't a bad reflection on him. Fear of another gay man looking at him sexually, or anything like that. "I promise." He watched as those thin fingers carefully pulled the layers free and up just so his back and shoulders were bared. Nothing else. Blaine even had to lift the jacket a bit as it fell down.

He didn't need light to know that the splotchy color of the skin didn't match the rest of his body. But he held up his cell phone anyway. The dim glow allowed him to assess all the array of purples, blues, browns, and yellows that splattered over Kurt's shoulder blades, and even partway down his spine. Right at that part of the back that most people would use to lean. "Kurt. It looks _really_ bad. What if something's broken?"

"I'm pretty sure I'd know if my shoulders were broken. I can use my arms just fine. For the most part. The muscles hurt a bit."

"That's really not good. You should probably go to a doctor at the very least."

"I can't do that."

"If money's the problem I am pretty sure I can get you help with the doctor's bills-"

"No. Besides the fact that my dad does _not_ need that right now, it's not that serious. Nothing's broken, and I've been putting ice on it."

"Kurt you said your muscles hurt. This could be deeper than you realize. And one wrong move and you could really mess your back up. How did this even happen!"

"...well, when Karofsky isn't flirting, he's making up for it by, well, pushing me. And I don't mean just pushing past me - he...he pretty much throws me into the lockers. Or walls. Or dumpsters. Or the ground. Whatever is there when he finds me. If there's people around, or sometimes even when there aren't...Actually it's worse when there aren't even any people around. I never know if he's going to knock me down or try to kiss me again. I prefer the pushing and shoving. But...that doesn't make it hurt any less."

"You shouldn't have to choose between pain and being _violated_. Between being hurt or the fear of being...Kurt. If you want to transfer to Dalton-"

"I can't Blaine."

"If it's money, you know-"

"Blaine! I can't do it."

" _Why_."

"Because I'd have to tell my dad what's happening to transfer, and I can't do that. Besides. I really love McKinley."

"McKinley is not worth your life."

"...You're right. But it is worth my dad's life."

"Kurt...you're the kid here, you do realize that right? He seems fine enough to deal with taking care of you again, and….isn't that a father's job? "

"It's not that easy Blaine. Heart conditions, they can hide. They're silent killers. People look fine on the outside but inside they're slowly dying. He's taking four different medications right now just to make sure his heart keeps getting stronger so he doesn't have to have another surgery. And...and even before the heart attack...He's not good with this kind of stuff."

"But he seemed so ok with it. He was joking about you and Thad dating! I've never met a man that ok with his son being gay."

"Its easy in the shop. The guys there, they all know, they don't care. And if they do have a problem with it, he can just fire them and replace them. You can't just decide that bullies aren't allowed to go to your kid's school anymore. And...he's...he's really not that good with dealing with bullies. He's not like us. He was popular in high school. Like Finn. He's already scared enough. Last year, someone called him _at the shop_ to ridicule me. They knew they were calling my dad. Not me. Sometimes I wonder if they were hoping he'd be one of those dad's that'd kick their kids out. I'm so lucky, I really am. I love him. And I want to protect him."

"You should let him protect you sometime."

"He's not strong enough Blaine. He's an amazing guy but...you didn't see him, when he got that call it broke his heart. To just think about what I faced at school, it got him so worked up. He wasn't brave enough. I love him, I'm proud of him, but I can't do this to him. As long as I'm alive, I'm going to do everything I can to keep him happy and healthy. I can't lose him Blaine. He's all I have. It's me, Dad, and a majority ownership of a car shop. I love Carole, but...She's Finn's mom. He's _my_ Dad. He's the most important person in my life. And I know I can get through this. High school will end. I don't even have two whole years left anymore. I can make it through that. I know I can. Because I've been doing it my whole life. What's another year and some months?"

"Ugh! This sucks!" He jumped up off the bench and paced around, his fists clenched up. If he wasn't so scared himself he would march himself over and give Karofsky two black eyes. But even if he was brave enough to do that, it wouldn't solve anything. He'd be expelled from Dalton and Karofsky would just go on hurting Kurt. Hell he'd probably actually get worse, if they retaliated now. "I hate this. I want to help you! I want to make this all stop!"

"Thank you, Blaine, really, truly. That really means something to me. Not even Finn is helping me with this one. Everyone is too scared. They won't even talk about it. But you are helping me." When Blaine finally stopped pacing he saw that Kurt had put himself back together. It looked like he'd never even pulled his shirt up at all. There wasn't even a wrinkle. "You make me smile. LIke, when we're hanging out, I'm really, _really_ happy. I haven't been this happy in...well since summer. Since...In July, Dad let me plan and host a party, for the New Directions. For all my friends. I've never had that many people at a party. I've never had this many friends. It was beautiful. But ever since this year started it's been like...they're all wrapped up in themselves. It's like they know what's happening but they don't really care. And it's not that they don't love me. They do. But I've always been picked on. It's just something that happens. It's something that they expect. It happens so much and I've been so good at brushing it off that I'm just a sheet of cellophane to them now. So they don't understand how big a deal this is. But then there's you. You just...just taking my hand that day, and pulling me down that hall, into this whole world where I really, truly, deeply matter. And I know it's because you guys didn't grow up with me, and see this all the time. So it's easier for you to see. But you...you've been there. You are there, still, even if no one is hurting you. It's _amazing_. To not be alone anymore. I love it Blaine. I love being noticed. I love being _seen_."

It was very hard not to reply with an 'I love you too.' The words shocked Blaine as they crossed across his brain. At least they hadn't fallen out of his mouth. Wes and David were right. He was hopeless. He really had to stop that. Giving his heart out so easily was going to destroy him one of these days.

"I'm sorry, that was too much-" Kurt started.

"No, it's...it was beautiful. You said so many things that...that I've never been able to articulate. Being seen. It's...it's why I'm at Dalton now. Still. They saw me, for who I really was. They didn't look through me. And I definitely can't look through you. You're too...hm. Is there even a word in the English dictionary that can describe you?"

"Most people like to say weird."

"Eccentric. That's a good one."

"Hey!"

"Admit it. You're a bit eccentric."

"...Ok I am. There's nothing wrong with that. Albert Einstein was eccentric."

It would be so easy to kiss him, right there. He was looking so very kissable. But Blaine didn't dare. Not with what was going on with Karofsky. Not with, well, how deep in friendship they were. He just couldn't ruin this. Not for Kurt. And, honestly, not for himself either.

Just when he thought he couldn't handle the moment any longer, the sky lit up with a bright red, glittery explosion. Then with a blue one. And a green one.

Someone was setting off fireworks. And there were trees in their way. So he reached down to grab hold of Kurt's hand. "Come on, lets get a better view." As he started to pull the hand up, Kurt wiggled it out of his grasp. "Or-"

"It works better when you take this hand." Kurt held out the opposite hand. The one that actually matched the hand Blaine was grabbing with. They were lucky it was dark because Blaine's cheeks lit up like the fireworks that were exploding behind his head. Then he took that hand. And Kurt stood up.

And they ran off into the trees, in the dark, to find a better place. Where they could have the experiences they wanted to have and where no one could tell them they couldn't.

Except for how badly he wanted to be Kurt's boyfriend right now. How badly he wanted to kiss that smile. That was the one thing he couldn't have. So for now, until he got over this crush, he'd just be grateful for everything they could have. Like the fireworks. And the warmth of each other's hands.

It was difficult not to worry. All the teen could picture was Kurt curled up in some parking lot with a black eye and his clothes shredded. The clothing part because he knew Kurt had gone all out tonight. How the teen expected people not to think he was dating that Warbler boy, Finn didn't know, but the evidence was right there in front of his very eyes. No one wore a suit worthy of prom just to go to see some play. Even Rachel, Broadway enthusiast, had picked dresses that she might have just worn to church. Or...synagogue? Whatever it was she did.

He'd told her to go with the blue one.

She'd texted him a picture of Kurt and Blaine. Apparently their seats hadn't been far. It was so damn obvious the two of them were dating. And now it was a full hour and a half after the show let out - Finn knew because Rachel had called him before doing her nightly rituals - and Kurt still wasn't home.

Sitting in the living room would have been awkward had he not known that there was no way his mom and Burt were upstairs getting freaky. Burt was having one of those bad days but he hadn't let on until just about two hours ago. Kurt was probably going to flip when he found out.

Finn decided not to tell him.

Burt wasn't sick he was just extra tired today and his mom had all that under control. The least he could do was let Kurt have a good night. If it was a good night. Rachel said it looked like they were having fun. No signs of human-omletters anywhere.

The front door creaked open and the very devil on his mind slipped in, looking a bit pale and disheveled. Finn got to his feet. Ok maybe he'd imagined the pale part. Actually when Kurt turned around he was looking rather rosy. "Oh," Finn stumbled. That fast? They'd barely known each other for two weeks and they were already at this stage? He didn't want to judge, to each their own, but wow. Two weeks. From what he remembered even Puck didn't have that record. Then again Puck had been 'dating,' sort of, since they were in fourth grade. That was really young to be starting this sort of thing.

"Finn? What are you still doing here."

"Mom's my ride home."

"...Ew."

"No! It's not like that."

"Oh please it is definitely like that. That's gross. Ugh. Wanna come down to my room for a bit?"

"...Sure, I guess." With a brief glance down the hall to his dad's room, Kurt vanished into the basement. Finn was tight on his heels. "How was the play?"

"It was actually amazing. Have you seen RENT yet?"

"Rachel made me watch the movie."

"MM, the movie's good but it's extremely different from seeing it on stage. But you know all about Angel then?"

"Uh, the one that died."

"Yes. The entire theater was absolutely sobbing at his death. This actor was good Finn. Genius. Easily a favorite of mine."

"Rachel did mention that too I think."

"...You talked to Rachel?"

"Yeah, she's my girlfriend. She calls me like every night to say goodnight." He stood dumbly near the stairs as Kurt fell over onto his bed. "Uh, maybe I shouldn't have come down here. This is weird."

"Oh. My god Finn, really? You can't be serious!"

"Hey! It's not about that I just. I don't know you were just out with- and I mean look at you, I know what happened, so uh, yeah that's kind of weird I wouldn't wanna hang out with anyone after I did that. Actually I didn't. It was really odd."

"...What are you talking about." Kurt propped himself up on his elbows and gave Finn that look that seemed to pierce straight through him."

"You know. You. And Blaine. Didn't you, you know?" Since words alone weren't doing it, Finn decided it was necessary to throw in some awkward hand gestures. He pressed his forefingers together in a manner similar to a semi-crude (if only because of who was making it) gesture Puck had made last week when joking about the Dalton Warblers. "You _know_."

"FINN! NO! We definitely did not!"

"Then why the hell do you look like that!"

"Look like what?" Thankfully this was Kurt's room and not Finn's. There were plenty of mirrors to prop up in front of the older teen and show him his appearance. "...Oh. Yeah I can see where you'd get that idea. Wow. Uh, well we were running-"

"From what?"

"Not from. To. There were fireworks at the park. And we wanted to get a better view."

"That's it?"

"Mmhm."

"Running. That's what made you look like that."

"Well we weren't exactly planning to go for a nice little jog in our formal attire. It just sort of happened."

"Uh-huh."

"Finn, we're not even dating why would we do that sort of thing?"

"Wait you're not dating?"

"No?"

"...ok then why did you get so dressed up tonight?"

"Because-because it's the theater you always get dressed up for the theater." There was a deep red settling in on Kurt's cheeks and in that moment Finn knew.

"You like him but he doesn't like you back, huh?" He settled himself down comfortably in the chair at Kurt's...beauty station. Whatever that thing was called. Rachel had one too. Actually it was kind of uncanny how alike the two were.

"Actually I wouldn't know I haven't asked."

"Kurt I know you. You're probably being way too obvious as usual and-"

"No, I'm actually not. Believe it or not I learned from the past and I'm actually being a bit more subtle. Blaine and I both agree that that's not entirely fair when everyone else is free to express interest in whomever they want but...I get it. I've been on the other end of it now and I get it."

"The other end of what?"

"I've just. Had to deal with someone I really _really_ find creepy hitting on me recently. But it has made me realize that you and the rest of the guys need to be nicer too. If you think it's uncomfortable having a boy treat you like you treat girls then think about how the girls must feel."

"For the record I'm pretty sure I don't act like that. If anything Rachel's the one who acts like that in our relationship."

"Mm. But Puck. And some of the other guys."

"What am I supposed to tell them this big revelation?"

"Well they will listen to you. As we've well established my opinions and desires don't matter in this group."

"Kurt! That's-that's really not what I was trying to do, I'm sorry, I really am. I don't mean to get in the way especially because...you're right. They seem like genuinely nice people. Especially Blaine. He really cares about you. He seems to have pretty good intentions-"

"I'm not some damsel from the 1800s who needs someone to defend her honor and chastity."

"I know! But you can be kind of a target sometimes and I know boys, Kurt. Get groups of angry guys together and they aren't going to default to just throwing eggs at you. Even if their school has some amazing anti-bullying policy, they're a bunch of rich kids and you and I both know that rich kids can get away with a _lot_ of stuff that no one else can. I just...I keep thinking about you going out one of these nights and not coming back. Like they realize they can't break your spirit so they just...decide to break you instead." Kurt didn't reply right away. Instead he picked himself up and moved closer - opting to sit in that weird egg chair he had.

"They're not going to hurt me, Finn. Trust me. Can you do that?"

"...Yeah. I can."

"Thank you."

"But you still have to keep this quiet. I'm pretty sure most of the club will react the same way I did. No one wants to see you hurt."

"Ha! Then why doesn't anyone stop Karofsky?"

"Ok have you even seen the guy? He could take out all of us with one swing of his fist. He's terrifying!" It was pathetic of him to say it like that. Finn was the biggest guy in the New Directions and Kurt was the smallest. Yet Karofsky's main focus of attention had always been on Kurt. It didn't have anything to do with his size either because the guy had no problems going right after Finn too. "We're doing the best we can. At least you're safe when you're with us. Maybe you should try to stay closer to other club members for a while. At least then he couldn't push you around. Then there'd be witnesses who have no problem taking it to Figgins."

"Right, because staying in the pack is the best way to live. Caging the victim is exactly how to deal with bigots."

"Hey! I just...we do what we can, and that's something we can do. If he doesn't get you alone then he can't do anything to you."

"Don't be too sure about that. Last year he had absolutely no problems pushing me down the stairs during Gaga weeks and claiming he'd just tripped. Tina was right there. And what about football? You, Puck, Mike, and Matt were all there when he just decided to throw me around without cause. Because that's what you do on the football team. You tackle people even when it has nothing to do with that part of practice."

"He wanted you to quit so he tried to make things as hard as possible."

"Why am I not surprised." In one fluid, spontaneous motion Kurt got up and started to take his clothes off.

"Woah!"

"Don't worry I'm not changing. I just want to get this jacket hung up before the wrinkles set in. You'd do it for your best suit."

"And you're sure you two aren't dating?"

"Just because I dressed up does not mean we have decided to betray our teams and get together before the competition. Besides, who knows if a three week old relationship could even survive something like competition."

"If it's true love it could."

"...yeah. I bet it could, if it was that." Finn noticed the stiffness in his arms and didn't even pause to ask before getting up to help. It was probably better if he didn't anyway. They were still kind of on thin ice. But clearly things were looking up for their future brotherhood. The quiet sigh of relief that came out of Kurt cemented the thought. This kid was definitely his brother.

 **** **He really needed to get his act together about how he treated the guy before their parents decided to make it official. Though...no matter how much he cared about Kurt, Finn was fairly positive there was no way he could subject himself to the possibility of being thrown into a porta-potty and rolled down a hill for him. There would just simply have to be another way to help Kurt out.**


	7. Monday: Just Smiling at the Sound

Monday: Just Smiling at the Sound

"We're going to have to come up with an alternative for texting," Blaine announced as he arrived at their table in the Lima Bean.

"Phone bill?"

"Not yet. I got an alert saying I'm at 90% usage for the month. We have another week until November starts. Which means we are completely screwed for the last week of October."

"Well, that just means we'll have to spend a lot of time together instead."

"But what about _during_ school?"

"That's not allowed." Kurt glanced up from whatever it was he was working on to shoot Blaine a wink.

"And yet all day long I get texts and send texts. Funny how that works...Is this a furniture catalogue?"

"Mmhm."

"Redecorating?"

"More like...moving."

"...Moving."

"Mmhm." Blaine felt his heart dropping. Kurt was moving. And picking out new furniture. That wasn't a good sign. When did people pick out new furniture when they moved? When they couldn't take it with them, that was when.

"Where," he half choked. After a quick breath he flushed out his question. "Where are you moving to?" His new and apparently soon to be gone friend pulled out several notebooks from his bag. "Is that a wedding dress…"

"That's Carole's wedding dress. We picked it out and called and got it reserved so she could go get fitted today."

"...wait." There it was. The glitter in Kurt's eyes. Blaine realized what was happening. He was being had. "Your dad proposed!"

"THIS MORNING!"

"This morning! When's the wedding?"

"Saturday."

" _This_ Saturday?"

"Yes. Which means I have a lot of work to do. I'm the wedding planner. I get to plan my Dad's wedding! I get to plan _Carole's_ wedding. It's amazing. She's an amazing woman. And he's an amazing man. This is going to be the perfect wedding. Well, on a budget. A very tight budget. But that's ok. Because I know how to snag a deal."

"This is great! About time! Please tell me you'll let me help."

"I was actually hoping for it. I have to get the entire wedding planned in a week. And plan out the layout for the new house."

"...Wait so you are moving?"

"About four blocks to the North of where we live now. Our house is too small and there's no way Dad'll be able to build an addition on it now, not in his condition. Besides, we got a really good deal on it." He held up his keyring. There was a new key on it. For the new house, it seemed. "We can go check it out before I take you home, if you want."

"And I thought my news was big."

"What's your news?"

"I got my driving permit. That's why I was late."

"Blaine! That's amazing!"

"You're just happy that I'm not going to need you to give me rides whenever we hang out anymore."

"I like driving around with you. Ooo please promise me that when you go get your first car, you take me with you. I want to help you pick out your car. Please!"

"Ok, ok! You know a lot more about cars than I do, and more than anybody else I could take with me, so yeah. It's a...plan. Its a plan."

"I can't wait. But. In the meantime. Weddings. And a new house. We want to be moved in by Sunday."

"Woah. That's really fast."

"Yeah. And honestly it's exactly what I needed. Something _fun_ that I care about. This is going to be amazing."

"You may have mentioned that a time or two already." Somehow that bag of Kurt's just kept producing more notebooks. And magazines. And crafting supplies. Including scissors and glue sticks and paper for collage making and… "How. _How_."

"Hm?"

"How do you fit all that in your bag!"

"It's a gift."

"It's...definitely that."

"Alright, so, since I'm on a budget and a time limit I'm pretty much limited to the stores that are in Lima, so...we have to be very clever. And strategic."

"Well, lets start with the venue."

"Done. I got it over lunch. There's only two churches in a one hundred mile radius that are ok with the whole gay thing, I swear, and one of them is...well, it's nice. They like me. Its Mercedes' church. It's a really nice place, looks great. But one they already have another wedding there and two...they wanted the church choir to handle the music and I'm not ok with that when we have a perfectly good glee club to do all that."

"But what about sectionals?"

"Oh don't worry we're still going to kick your snobby private school butts just fine."

"Oh you are!"

"Mmhm. Definitely."

"We'll see about that. Just you wait. Our line up is going to-"

"Be Katy Perry, and other girls' songs performed by dapper young men that would be enough to stop any man-loving heart for a second? It's not going to be enough."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because we have a little something for everyone. Man lovers or women lovers, and we will stop _everyone's_ hearts. What are you going to do if there's just women-lovers on the judging panel?"

"Convince them to fall in love with some men."

"That is a very good answer." He lifted up his coffee in toast-fashion and Blaine was happy to oblige him.

"Ok so. Wedding. We are terrible for each other when it comes to planning."

"We can do this. So the actual venue I got it more open, a bit brighter. The colors are more...protestant, less cathedral. The carpet is really cheap. Actually, no, scratch that - it's kind of really gross looking. So we have our work cut out for us there but some nice flowers on the end of those benches and we'll be fine enough. I'm more concerned about the dinner and the dances - those have to be perfect. Dad says he doesn't need anything extravagant but...This is really big deal, whether he'll say it or not. And the one request he had was that their dance is perfect. So that's where we need to focus our finances."

"Right." Blaine stretched as though he was getting ready for boxing practice. "Let's do this."

Despite the exams that he had coming up this week, this did feel more important. It was beautiful. And to spend three solid hours doing something that mattered to someone he cared so deeply about was definitely more important than some letter on a page. The thought of making this wedding perfect was sending butterflies through his entire body. Or maybe that was just because Kurt was smiling. There wasn't a frown for miles. They flip flopped between wedding planning and figuring out where to put the new furniture - and what new furniture to get too. Apparently it was time to shake up the bedroom from classic gray to...another kind of grey. Or something like that. House decorating wasn't Blaine's strong suit.

"We're going to have to pick up these up tomorrow if we're going to have enough time to put everything together."

"Ahhhh tomorrow is a big moving day. We're not moving everything but we're trying to get everything we can moved over to the new house. And...Since we just found out today that means I haven't packed. At all."

"Are you going to be ok with that? Can your back handle it?"

"...If I start tonight, I can do the hard stuff, get that ready, then I'll have a good night's rest before I have to carry them upstairs tomorrow. And then I can do the easy stuff. It'll work out." Blaine's phone buzzed three times. "Hmmm, seems I'm not the only one that's maxing out your texts."

"I never even came close to my monthly limit before I met you."

"I'm not even sorry. My Dad got me an unlimited texting plan because it was cheaper than letting me run up thousands of texts every month."

" _Thousands_?"

"I told you. I'm the Gossip King of McKinley. That doesn't come without some serious dedication."

"I bet. Wow." The statement didn't even phase Kurt. He just kept right on cutting out his magazine clippings and sticking them on his mock ups. The man had a gorgeous eye for detail. Not to mention a serious passion for it. Blaine could almost see him now, folding his clothes three times to make sure they were folded just right, just to put them in a bag and carry them four blocks north and unpack them immediately to keep them from wrinkling.

"How am I going to get all of this done in a week!" As soon as his hands shot up to press against his forehead, Blaine shot up to grab the scissors.

"Stabbing your eyes out is not the answer. And it would be a great disservice to all your future boyfriends if I allowed you to do that. So on their behalf I must take these away from you."

"Thank you for helping me, by the way. It's going to go uncredited because only Finn and Mercedes even know about us right now but...everyone is going to appreciate this whether they tell you or not." _Us_. It just rolled right off his tongue as easily as 'gossip king' had. Us. They were an us. "Assuming I actually get this done. I have no idea how I'm supposed to plan this entire wedding and pack all my things and I know I can't trust anyone else with packing for me. There is no one in my family or future family that knows what they're doing with delicate clothes. They'll destroy my wardrobe."

"I could help with that too. I do know a thing or two about keeping my uniform nice and neat. Though Thad is better than all of us with the whole clothing thing...Actually. There's an idea. Kurt, don't worry about packing and straining your back."

"Blaine, we want to be moved in by-"

"I know. And you're going to. Because the Warblers are going to help you."

"Oh? What about sectionals."

"We're going to steal everyone's hearts anyway, remember?"

"Do you really think they'd help?"

"Kurt. The Warblers love you. And if I told them that you'd strained your back, they would be more than willing to drop a day and come out to help you pack up, I'm sure of it. Then you could dedicate the rest of the week to putting the wedding together. Its perfect."

"Isn't that lying?"

"...well, not really. Raise your arms all the way up, right now." His friend's eyes turned down. It hurt to bring that up. It hurt Blaine too. But Kurt had to know what his limitations were and that was one of them.

"...I can't do that."

"Exactly. Your back, one way or another, is out of commission. We have practice before school tomorrow, and during study hall. I'll propose it and give them the morning and lunch hour to think about it, then they'll vote and I'll let you know if they're coming over."

"If?"

"...ok I'll propose it now and we'll know by morning?"

"Blaine if they aren't coming over I still have to get everything packed up-" It was no use. The younger teen was already using the last of his texts to tell the Warblers that they were going to help Kurt move tomorrow. He went over his limit when he checked their responses. But it was worth it. Especially because they responded so fast.

"Everyone's saying that they want to help."

"Really?"

"Yes really. Kurt Hummel you have made some powerful allies. No matter who wins at sectionals, I think we're going to be on your side for at least the rest of this year. I can't wait until after though, when we can introduce everyone and they can all make friends. It's going to be great. Just uh, warn the girls. A couple of the guys are looking for girlfriends and they're kind of looking for a reverse uptown girl scenario."

"Hey! Our girls are classy."

"One of the guys is dating the daughter of a millionaire."

"...You don't need a ton of money to be classy."

"True. I'm just saying what they told me. They're tired of the spoiled rich girls and want to try mixing with 'normal people.' So tell your girls to watch out."

"I'm pretty sure it won't be a problem anyway. They're all indating."

"Indating?"

"Dating other New Directions. Tina is with Mike, Rachel with Finn, Brittany's back with Artie, Quinn and Sam are doing something who knows what though I think I saw him with a ring but I'm pretty sure he's not stupid enough to propose to someone he's known for about two months, Santana is questionably with Puck I mean they're doing it but well, that's not my gossip to spread, and Mercedes...Might have a date? By luck of the draw she kind of got paired off with me so she's the only one not dating someone else in the group. But I did set her up with this really nice guy from the wrestling team."

"Uh-huh...wow. Geeze. I can't even imagine...since. I'm the only gay kid right now, I'm pretty sure, there's no chance of 'indating' in the Warblers. The ones who have girlfriends talk about them sometimes but...I can't even imagine. What's that even like?"

"It's drama. It's so much drama. Constant unrelenting twenty four hours a day seven days a week drama. Though this year has been very tame in comparison to last year. Our first big scandal was Quinn being pregnant. And at first she told everyone Beth was Finn's kid but it turned out she was Puck's. And Finn totally believed that he'd managed to knock her up without ever even sleeping with her."

"How…"

"Hot tubs, apparently. You know it's really sad that the gay kid knows more about procreation than any of them? The girls used to have this weird virginity club even though I'm pretty sure Quinn was the only virgin in it besides Rachel that one week Rachel was in it. Only by that point she was pregnant so technically Rachel was the only virgin-"

"In the virginity club?"

"Yes, in the virginity club."

"That is pretty sad."

"Mmhm."

"You know, I think...David once thought he might have gotten his girlfriend pregnant? Before I met him. It scared him half to death apparently. But it turned out to be a false alarm. And I guess ever since then the Warblers have been extra careful. Before they learned I was gay they all were giving me an education on not knocking girls up. After it? Well. They didn't want to educate themselves on that. But they knew that condoms were important."

"...what did they do?" It was clear that he was bashful about this kind of conversation by the way he curled his hands up near his face as though he was trying to hide from the words themselves, but the curiosity won out.

"Lets just say I have a very, very extensive collection. Completely unused and with probably no chance of any of the boxes being opened anytime soon. I'm not going to just crawl into the bed of the first guy who asks me to. I want it to mean something."

"...You really are just like me. Wow."

"That's what you want?"

"Yeah. It's. Well, _yeah_. You may have noticed but I'm really...touchy. About who I let even get close enough to touch me. I don't like people being in my space. Especially uninvited but really any time. So...I guess its more of a finding someone that I'm ok with being that close to. Trusting that much. Because when it comes to encroaching on personal space it does not get much closer than that."

All of this was very good to know. Not that Blaine wanted to hop in Kurt's bed.

But he did.

The sooner he admitted that to himself the better off he'd be. He would not mind, in the slightest, being that super special person who was allowed to get so close to Kurt. To be the one he let in, past all these barbed-wire barriers. It had his heart racing just thinking about it. Even though he really shouldn't have been thinking about those things. He couldn't help it. Kurt was amazing. And he wanted in on it.

But he wasn't going to get in on it.

So he crossed his legs and finished off his coffee. It gave them enough of a moment's pause that Kurt turned back to his magazines. The next one on the list was a bridesmaids edition. Of course they weren't necessarily looking at dresses (especially these, because if they wanted dresses like these they would have to have them shipped in and that would take several weeks) but at least it was a non rip-his-clothes-off-right-here-and-go-crazy topic that Blaine could latch on to. No matter how awkward that transition was.

"What are the bridesmaids going to wear?"

"...Something red. That's all we know for sure. Fall colors. Plus red looks good on all the girls. We won't have time to have anything shipped so we can't go to actual bridal stores. Those usually only carry a few of each and there's six bridesmaids, most of them the same size. Do you think we could make them? Tina and Mercedes usually work on the girls' dresses for our performances. I bet if we got all the girls to pitch in, under my direction we could get them made in time."

"Six dresses? Made in less than six days?"

"Hmm. Maybe we can get something that's half-way perfect from some store at the mall and finish it off."

"That's more reasonable."

With the moment past, Blaine settled back in his chair, ready to keep on planning for another three hours. Which was exactly how long they had until the Lima Bean closed.


	8. Tuesday: You Can Hold Your Head

Tuesday: You Can Hold Your Head

Thad's hands deftly folded up Kurt's clothes. Correctly, the first time, every time. He was the only one who was allowed to touch the clothes. Everyone else had been banned. Including Blaine. Especially Blaine. Thad had been on the ban list when they'd first descended on Kurt's domicile, and Blaine had not been, but after the fourth attempt to properly fold up a simple shirt Thad had gotten fed up on Kurt's behalf and fixed it. They'd made fast friends after that.

"I have never seen this many clothes," Wes moaned. "This would go a lot faster if we could just-"

"No," Kurt chastised before he could even finish.

"But it's just clothes! And you're just going to unpack them in an hour anyway!" Thad latched onto him to pull him to safety, past the glare that was emanating from their new friend.

"Never tell a fashionista that it's just clothes," he warned. "It's never just clothes. Did you see his sewing machine? He probably made most of these himself."

"People do that?"

"More often than you think. Especially fashionistas."

"...Thad, do you-"

"No. I like clothes but not that much. My mom sews though. She likes to make costumes for the theater downtown."

"Why did I never know that about you…."

"You guys never come over to my place. Its your own fault for missing out!"

"Hey Kurt, are you doing ok?" Trent asked as he sat down next to the Junior. "You've been really quiet since Thad took over."

"He's doing a really good job," Kurt confessed. "And I just have so much wedding planning to get done. If I have everything plotted out then all Blaine and I have to do tomorrow is put the pieces together. Then Thursday the girls and I will get to go down to the church and decorate."

"That actually sounds really nice. The last wedding I went to was my uncle's and everything smelled like a nursing home. But we were in a hotel. I'm pretty sure it was a hotel at least…" The two laughed a little as Kurt flipped through the pages of his magazine again.

"I still have to find time to take everyone shopping for their bridesmaid dresses."

"What about tomorrow?"

"Mm maybe." Kurt looked up - he'd been doing that since they arrived, periodically, but always whenever Blaine was about. Especially when Blaine was doing any kind of heavy lifting to move things upstairs. Trent's bets were for after Thanksgiving. Considering how shy they were, and yet how they both looked at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. He believed everyone who said 'not before sectionals' and he also believed that they would play around with the idea for a little while after that. Which meant they'd kiss in that sweet space between Thanksgiving and Christmas Concert Season. Because there was no way they could possibly wait longer than that. They were liable to burst _now_.

"Is something up?" the lead singer said as he came over and sat himself down on the foot of the bed.

"How would you like to meet the rest of the girls tomorrow?"

"I'd love to but I have to warn you - I am not very useful at dress shopping."

"Hm. Well actually I was thinking, we're going to have to hit up the mall, remember? To get enough matching dresses that fast. We'll be right next to the craft store."

"You want me to pick up the decorations while you're dress shopping with the girls?"

"I have to pick out tuxes too. Or at least make sure everything matches. Solid black and white. Very simple." He tapped his pen on the notebook where his full list of necessities was marked up.

"Doves? Kurt. Indoors?"

"I know. A man can dream." The tip of the pen trailed down along the red line on the left side of the paper. Then, a slow exhale. "I need a cake topper. I don't even know where to _get_ those in Lima."

"What happened to the one from your Dad's first wedding?"

"...Couldn't find it."

"But you were up all night looking for it. I remember. You were still looking when we hung up."

"Mm and that is my cue to get out of here," Trent said as he hopped himself up.

"Wait! What?"

"You two were on the phone all night."

"Not _all_ night."

"I have on good authority that you didn't even start getting ready for bed until two."

"...That isn't _all_ night."

As they argued, Kurt pulled himself up and meandered over to his inspiration board to shift things around a little. The two watched as he pulled down the picture of his Mom and Dad's wedding. It had been fueling his energy, Blaine knew it had. When they'd mapped out the size of his new bedroom the night before, that was all Kurt could talk about.

He hadn't been there, of course, but he remembered how his mom had sat him down with the photo album and showed him every moment of that very special day. They still had her wedding dress. Kept up all nice. Apparently Carole was completely ok with that. Seeing as she still had a lot of Finn's dad's stuff.

There were some cut outs of inspiration that Kurt claimed were tied to that too, but he had only his memory to work on since he couldn't just say 'hey Finn I'm going to go through your basement' and he didn't really have time to hunt for inspiration pieces anyway. So he worked off his memory. It was biased towards his Dad's side but that was what happened when the Hummel side was put in charge of making the wedding happen. All those cut outs stayed up on the inspiration board. But his parents' wedding picture came down. He looked like he was in pain over the action.

Trent realized that was probably because of those back problems he was having. Blaine hadn't exactly been clear but it sounded bad. His muscles were torn or something from a bad accident during practice, or something like that. It had been hard to keep up. The Warblers had never heard Blaine talk that fast. It was almost like he didn't _want_ them to understand.

Kurt's melancholy wasn't lost on any of the Warblers.

So, like true friends, the started trying to solve all his problems.

"Why don't you lay down for a bit?" Wes offered. "We've got this under control here."

"I can get you some ice for your back," David said. "Er, if you tell me where your baggies are."

"We can split up and try to find that topper!" Trent blurted. "I mean, you and your dad are packing everything, right? So it's bound to turn up. When he gets home we can ask him if it's ok if we help and that way he won't know you're planning on using it and we'll be able to keep our eyes open for you-"

"No," Kurt murmured. "I mean, the guys are coming over in a couple of hours, and you guys have to be gone by then because they don't know I invited you over. Actually they don't know that I talk to you at all. Finn didn't tell them. And...he thinks I'm just hanging out with Blaine."

"So we're your dirty little secret," Thad laughed. "That's fine, don't you worry we'll have all of your things packed and moved to your new room well before dinner. Though we are planning on taking you out. Blaine was telling us about this place called Breadstix-" He was cut off by a pillow. Hitting Blaine.

"What! It's good!" the shortest Warbler defended himself.

"If I'm seen beside _one_ Warbler let alone in a _sea_ of them I'd be in so much trouble!" Kurt chastised.

"They deliver. I saw it, on their to-go menu. I was thinking we could just have them deliver to your new house while we're unpacking everything."

"...Ok that we can do. But we have to be out of here before...Five thirty. That's when everyone is out of football practice and dad'll be off work, and all the guys are supposed to be helping with moving the furniture that we're taking with us, and I think there's a guy coming over in thirty minutes to check out some of the furniture we're selling…"

"Been here and gone again," a voice called from the top of the stairs. Then the man himself descended. "Well, looks like you aren't going to need my help. Hi." The bald man waved to the uniformed prep school boys. They all politely waved back, smiled, and Thad stepped forward to take charge.

"Congratulations on your upcoming wedding, Mr. Hummel," he said.

"Why thank you. You're...the kid with the car problems?"

"Yes, sir. Thank you for helping us fix it."

"Thank Kurt. He did all the work."

"I have. Actually that's...part of why we're here? I mean. We're all friends but I definitely owe him. My parents are sick of that car falling apart but they won't get me a new one. He's a life saver."

"Uh-huh. Well." Mr. Hummel tucked his thumbs into his pockets and looked over everything. Kurt had yanked a blanket from his bed and tossed it over all the wedding plans that were spread out on the floor. "You know it's just supposed to be the bride I'm not allowed to see before the wedding."

"It can't very well be a surprise if you see everything!" Kurt called back. "What are you doing home so early?"

"Everything was taken care of up at the shop, so I decided to come home and get some rest before everyone else showed up to help us pack up that truck Finn's picking up for us. I saw them loading up your car though. I take it that means you're not helping us with the furniture?"

"Well. You have a good half of the football team coming over for that. I'll be pretty much useless. So I figured I go start unpacking at the new house to make things easier when the furniture gets over there. We already mapped out where to put the furniture."

"Oh you did? I haven't been over there today."

"Mmhm. Just look for the blue duct tape X's. I put maps on the walls so you know what to put where." With a laugh, Burt waved the lot of them off.

"Alright, alright." His eyes trailed over the boys. "No offense but I'm never going to be able to tell your new friends apart. In those jackets they all look the same to me. What's your name?"

"Thad."

"Thad. Hm. Take it easy on these guys Kurt."

"Yes Dad."

As the man headed back up the stairs, Blaine became eerily aware of how many people were staring at him. Not Kurt. _Him_. His own father's departure from his parents' marriage after last Christmas wasn't _not_ on his mind. But he also, honestly, wasn't terribly bothered by it. He'd dealt with the strained relationship since he'd told his parents in seventh grade. By now it was just a fact of life. Though his past experiences did make this all the more beautiful. He vowed to make absolute sure that this wedding was perfect. Not just for Mr and future Mrs. Hummel, but for Kurt. Because every kid deserved to have a beautiful family. And the Hummel family was already so perfect, this would just take it to the next level.

Ok. Maybe, just maybe, he was a little bit jealous. A part of him really didn't mind the thought of also joining the Hummel crew. Blaine felt his heart fluttering at the thought.

...

"Kurt will you just sit down? You're making _my_ back hurt," David laughed as he held up Kurt's box of pasta. He'd put two breadsticks on top in the hopes of tempting the boy to settle down. But the public school kid was as restless as someone who was _nesting_.

"I have to just get this last thing hung up-"

"You said that thirty minutes ago," Wes reminded him.

"I think we're being insensitive," Thad said - around a mouthful of fettuccini. He was hungry. He had to have his fetti. "These clothes are masterpieces, and every artist does like to make sure their work is taken care of. Isn't that right Timothy?" One of the Junior Warblers let out a grumble. The story of how he'd absolutely blown up his Freshman year because someone had spilled soda on his painting was well known throughout the Warblers. No one dared spill any substance on his anything now.

"They'll still be just as cared for ten minutes from now."

"You guys haven't eaten with Kurt yet have you?" Blaine mumbled around his breadstick. "It takes an hour." The entire room watched as Kurt turned - for the first time - from his work. And it was to look at Blaine.

"Not that there's anything wrong with that," Trent called out.

"Why would anything be wrong with that?"

"Mm. Some people like to eat fast."

"I really don't care...wait do you guys-"

"No," echoed around the room. How so many boys had managed to fit into the space was kind of a wonder of nature. Kurt's old bedroom was an entire basement. This was an actual room. It was like moving from a personal very well decked out personal suite to a common community college dorm.

It was more fascinating, however, how Kurt managed to get around all of them to keep hanging up his clothes.

As the 'one last one' fell into place in the closet, one of the boys pushed the door shut on him. "Come on, get something to eat. We'll help you put everything away in a minute. Just eat for us, please."

With a huff, the teen settled himself right in between Blaine and Thad without even the smallest of hesitations. It was, of course, the only spot left in the circle. The Warblers constantly made absolute certain that they would end up sitting together. It was a really easy way to gauge how they were doing. Like today - Kurt was sitting close enough that his shoulder brushed against their short and dappar superstar. Blaine helped him get whatever he wanted into his plastic to-go bowl. They were completely in sync. Two unexpected halves that made a brand new whole.

Then disaster struck.

The it started with one boy, but it spread to all of them very quickly. Mostly due to the breadsticks. "Did anyone get anything for us to drink?"

"Is there anything for us to drink _out of_ here?"

"We haven't moved over the kitchen...anythings yet. Carole was going to go through everything and figure out what we had two of. Though they aren't allowed to throw anything out because the kitchen is my domain...Uhm, I mean-"

"It's ok Kurt, half the guys here bake as a hobby. It really comes in handy for us. Means pretty much every day we have some fresh baked something to munch on."

"You guys really aren't going to make any jokes?"

"Not at all. But we will complain about a lack of pop."

"Soda."

" _Oooh_ Blaine he's like you. He likes the word soda more than _pop_."

"You know oddly that doesn't solve the drink shortage problem," Blaine sighed. Wes jingled his keys as he hopped up, motioning around to see who would join him.

"Come on guys, I need someone to help me find everything, you know I'm useless in a store," he jested.

"You're not useless!" Blaine chastised.

"Come with me anyway?"

"Ugh fine. The rest of you, don't eat Kurt while I'm out."

"Gee thanks I feel so much safer," Kurt laughed. Though his giggles were cut short as Blaine's hand brushed over his shoulder. They shared a smile, then Blaine and Wes were gone. Which meant that, against Blaine's best efforts, it was time for the Warblers to pull Kurt apart and find out what made him tick. And, more importantly, _how soon would he and Blaine be sucking face._

The public school boy seemed oblivious to their plotting as he munched away ever so innocently on that breadstick of his. That or he just didn't care. Given his wardrobe - and they were all quite familiar with it now - they guessed he was probably used to people staring at him. He did seem to like to draw attention to himself. While Blaine had insisted the baby blue suit with the spiked shoulder pads were part of a costume the fact remained that this kid had at some point _worn_ that. With the baby blue bedazzled heel shoes. And the wig. There was a wig involved. Clearly Kurt did not mind attention.

When the bright-eyed future husband of Blaine's did look up at them, they tried to turn away as though they hadn't been watching him at all.

"Is something wrong?" he asked despite their efforts.

"Did you ask him out or did he ask you out?" one of them blurted. And suddenly Kurt shrunk. He sputtered for words so badly that he sounded like a 1910 Ford.

"Jeremy!" Thad scolded.

" _What_! Everyone's thinking it."

"You can't just blurt things out like that."

"We aren't dating," Kurt squeaked.

"Why not!" Jeremy gasped.

"Because we're part of rival show choirs?"

"...If you weren't would you be dating right now?"

"Wait does this mean you two are going to make it official after sectionals?" another questioned as he reached for Thad's sleeve to give it a tug, but the senior just shrugged him away. There was no changing the bets now. They'd put them all on an official - password protected - computer document.

"We're not dating!" Kurt reiterated. "And we're not _going_ to!"

"Woah! Why not?" David called out.

"Because...because he doesn't like me like that."

There was an awkward silence over the room. Was it even possible that Kurt didn't realize how bad Blaine's crush was? Well, they didn't know how Blaine acted when he was alone with Kurt. From what they'd seen, he was cool. Suave even. Completely unlike the mess that blushed and jittered about whenever they discussed his love life at school.

"Look, we're just really good friends. Two gay guys can be just friends, just like a straight guy and a straight girl can be just friends. Just because we could date and actually like it doesn't mean we have to."

This wasn't possible. Was it?

Could Kurt... _not_ be in love with Blaine?

Well this wouldn't do.

"Kurt, _Kurt_ ," Thad said as he pushed the basket of breadsticks his way. The smaller teen squirmed a little. "You can talk to us. I know, it's so shocking that guys can care about feelings and talk, well, boys. Sometimes. But we definitely aren't like other guys."

"I've noticed. Thank you, really, but there isn't much to say."

"But there is something?" Everyone leaned in as he took in a deep breath.

"Even...even if there was, I don't think...I could, you know?"

"Could date Blaine?" Trent asked, a bit of panic seeping into his voice. He wasn't entirely sure he'd be able to pay up if the bet went to the default they'd set if no one got it right. And if there wasn't something blossoming between Klaine...Kurt and Blaine. Wow he'd already given in to the couple name. That wasn't good. But if something wasn't blossoming and they never became 'Klaine' then that would mean no one got it right. Not even close.

"Oh, I…" The teen got up and leaned out of his new bedroom's door to listen for a moment. "This stays between us."

"Of course," the crowd murmured, putting their hands to their hearts to seal the promise.

"I...I could date him, ok? But I can't."

"I don't understand," Jeremy whispered.

"Ugh. How do I put this. I've...I've never talked about this kind of thing with people who didn't also like boys, ok? Its weird."

"It's ok," Thad reassured. "Honestly Blaine was ten times worse than you last year."

"...really?"

"Yeah. He was painfully shy, but I can't really blame him."

"Blaine's going to kill us if he finds out we were talking about him," David warned them lightly.

"Right. This stays between us."

"Of course," Kurt promised. "It's not that I'm shy though. It's just...It's not what I'm used to."

"He was shy because this wasn't what he was used to either. But after a while you will get used to it and it'll all be normal for you. And it helps, I've noticed. Being able to just be yourself, and talk freely, and not be judged. It can really help you figure yourself out."

"Ok." The teen took in another deep breath as he sat down in the doorway. Right where he could hear when Wes and Blaine got back, Thad realized. "He's...he's gorgeous, ok? He's really, really... _really_ attractive." They got a sharp glare when a few of them laughed at his statement. But it was true. No one was going to pretend they weren't the most attractive bunch of boys outside of LA (since that was where all the movie stars supposedly lived). Plus they had uniforms that just dialed up their hotness quotient to 100. Blaine was no exception. In fact, for Kurt, it probably only made that 100 turn into a 1,000. "And he's a really great friend too. I just...I couldn't just casually date someone like him."

"...So don't casually date him. Date him for real," David sighed. He sounded completely exasperated. Thad remembered that apparently Blaine had said the same thing, from what he'd been told. Kurt wasn't 'fling' material. He so badly wanted to say that, but that would be cheating. They weren't allowed to intervene. And besides if they butted in and Kurt and Blaine got together prematurely it could end badly. Especially for his bet.

Though he wasn't so wrapped up in his game that he'd cause these two harm. That wasn't the Dalton way. He'd expel himself if he let Blaine get hurt.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to date someone 'for real.' I mean, it's great to think about it. Being serious. Do you even realize how much that entails? My dad is getting married this weekend. To someone that he's been dating for real for a while. We're making a new family. And it is _not_ easy. It's taking a lot of work. Sure you guys get to see all of us moving in together, and getting everything ready for the wedding, but...we didn't get here overnight. We had to work through a lot of things to be able to comfortably do this. Finn and I especially. To reach the point where we can call ourselves brothers."

"...uhm, no offense, but...no one expects you two to get married tomorrow," one of the other Warblers said. "That's way too much to take on."

"I'm not talking about marrying Blaine either! ...Though I do see where you got that. No, no. I mean...A real relationship, it's not going to be easy. I'm not ready to work for something right now. I want something easy. And if I have an 'easy' relationship with Blaine then...what if we fall apart? What if we fight, and it gets so bad that...that just one day he doesn't call anymore! I don't want to not have him in my life because I wasn't ready to fight to have some deep romantic relationship with him."

Honestly, Kurt sounded more ready to have a real relationship than anyone else in the room. "Ok," Thad decided to interrupt. "You know, that's actually really romantic of you."

"Not dating someone is romantic?"

"Yeah. You're right, rushing into things isn't very smart. And true romance, I think, is a couple that looks back twenty years later with their kids heading off to high school and still loving each other just as much as the day they first said I love you. Its what I want at least." Half the room groaned at his sentiment. But for the most part they agreed.

"...Do I have to remind you that I'm _not_ talking about marriage."

"But you are talking about keeping him in your life long term."

"Yeah. He's a great friend. I really don't want to think of a day when I can't call him. But maybe that's just the part of me that's tired of being the _only_ out gay kid I know besides him. Maybe I'm just using him."

"Well that's easy," David said. "Answer this question honestly: Are you using him?"

"No!"

"There's your answer. You're not just using him. You actually like him."

"As a friend!"

"Of course. As a friend."

"Speaking of romantic," Jeremy dropped. "Blaine is hopeless about that kind of thing, so don't go stringing him along and letting him get the wrong idea. Or you might wind up with a _giant_ Valentine's bouquet next February. And chocolates. And, well, do I even have to mention the well choreographed love song that definitely _will_ happen? He'll drag you down to Dalton and sit you down in one of those big soft chairs and make all of us perform for you while he professes his undying love forever more."

"He'd probably do that too," David laughed.

"...You're not joking?" Kurt whispered.

"Not in the least. Blaine loves romance. Well, he loves performing it. Showing people how he feels, that sort of thing. You've probably noticed that by now though. He's so very intense."

"I've definitely noticed."

"You have to be careful with him," Jeremy warned. "Once he decides that you are the object of his affections, all this 'I'm not ready' business won't matter."

"Give him some credit!" Thad called out. "Don't _scare_ Kurt. Kurt, Blaine would never do something if he thought it would upset you. And he knows that a relationship probably isn't the best thing right now. He's more focused on helping you with this bully thing you're dealing with. You don't have to worry about unexpected declarations of love. I promise."

That was probably too much meddling. But no one wanted them to get scared and never get together. The way they'd been all day - sitting close, laughing at little jokes no one else understood, the secrets that apparently Blaine shared with Kurt but not them? It was a fairytale kind of love. With a heavy dose of reality brought in by two teens who had been forced to grow up way too soon in a society that treated them like freakshows.

Everyone fell quiet when the front door shut. It was no surprise who was coming up though - Wes and Blaine were laughing so hard that they'd probably been heard all the way back at Kurt's old house.

"Ok so we couldn't decide, so we got five different kinds of soda," Blaine declared as he stopped just outside the room. Wes had no qualms with stepping over Kurt but Blaine? Well he extended his hand to help his friend move back in where everyone else was. "Please tell me they behaved while we were gone."

"You don't trust us?" Jeremy crooned out.

"No."

"They behaved," Kurt said, accepting the hand and using Blaine to stand up and get out of their way. Perhaps it was the Warblers' collective imagination running wild, but it looked almost as though Kurt held onto his hand longer than he had to. No - he was definitely trying to hold onto Blaine's hand.

Those two were most definitely in love.


	9. Wednesday: Watch the Walls Instead

Wednesday: Watch the Walls Instead

"Kurt this will _not_ do!" Rachel declared as she pushed out of the changing room. "Look at me!"

"What's wrong with this Rachel?" he sighed.

"This color looks awful with my skin."

"Everything looks awful on a troll," Santana quipped.

"No fighting!" Kurt snapped. "We need to settle on a dress, the wedding is just a few days away. And it needs to be-"

"Fall colors," Mercedes interrupted. "But it also needs to look good on all of us and, Kurt, I love you but...this dress just does not flatter my curves." Rachel held her hand out towards the other girl. There. That was the absolute solid proof. Even his best friend was against it.

"This dress doesn't look good on any of us," she declared.

"I look sexy," Brittany replied as she spun before the mirror. "But I can rock anything. I'm just that hot." There was a pointed look to Santana that everyone decided to ignore. Those two were clearly going through something and no one wanted to get in the middle of it. Mostly because Santana could be so vicious.

"I was hoping for something a little less...'flirty devil'," Quinn said as she pulled on the skirt. "It's too revealing."

"Coming from the girl who got knocked up last year," Santana hissed. Apparently they were on the outs still. Or maybe Santana was just so mad that she was ready to sink her claws into everyone. Really who could even tell the difference?

"Just because I had a baby from _one_ encounter, that doesn't make me, well, some slut with a boob job."

"NO FIGHTING!" Kurt yelled, stepping between them. "I have way too much to think about right now to deal with this. These dresses look perfect on all of you! They're not so short that those who fail to wear underwear will upset anyone-" His eyes dared to shoot fearlessly in Santana's direction. "-and they're not too long that you look like grandmothers. And red is the best color to go with all the decorations."

"That you haven't even made yet," Rachel complained. "You haven't bought them, so maybe we could get some other color dress and you could change the colors of the decour."

"No. Because I have bought them."

"I was in your room yesterday. And all over both of your houses. You don't have them."

"I'm getting them right now."

" _How_. Look I know you're stressed with everything at school and Karofsky but don't go losing your mind on us. We still need you for sectionals."

"Haha I'm so glad you're so concerned about me."

"I _am_ Kurt."

"Even I'm worried about you," Santana fessed up as she tried to pull her skirt up a little higher - and make it stay that way. While Britt was watching, of course.

"This is nothing I can't handle-"

"Everyone's heard about Karofsky's expulsion by now," Mercedes said. "And I didn't see it but I also heard that your dad tackled him in the hallway and gave him a black eye worse than Sam's. Now I know rumors can get out of hand but Kurt, what happened today?"

"...Finn made me tell Dad what was going on, and I did. And...Thankfully he didn't have another heart attack on the spot. And he made Coach Sylvester do something about it."

"So long story short we should have told Daddy Hummel about this weeks ago."

"No! Dad is in _no_ condition to deal with this sort of thing. What Finn did was reckless. It could have killed him! I just hope things stay this quiet after today."

"Don't worry, that gargoyle is not going to get within five feet of you," Rachel promised as she stepped over next to her fellow diva. "We won't let him. You'll just have to hang out with us every day after school so that we can keep an eye on you."

"Really? That's your solution? That's like arresting someone so you can protect them. You're punishing _them_ for being the victim in the situation."

"Gee didn't know you hated us so much," Quinn said as she tried a few different things with her hair in the mirror. Including putting on one of the cute little plastic tiaras that was clearly made for cute little girls and women who'd watched too many episodes of Bridezillas. Kurt just threw up his hands and went to look at the shoes. "This dress really just will not do. I don't want some people getting the wrong idea."

"Is it really so bad having someone honestly like you Quinn?" Mercedes jabbed back. "He's a good kid! Look at what he tried to do for Kurt yesterday."

"That was really reckless of him."

"But really sweet, and you know it."

"...I just don't want him to think that just because I felt fat one time and let some boy get me drunk that I'm going to let him take advantage of me."

"He won't do that. He's a genuinely nice guy." Rachel ducked away from the girls to trail after their fashionista. They were all planning on recycling shoes from their collective closets so his interests in that aisle was completely useless and they both knew it. He was avoiding them.

"I don't want to see anyone wearing stripper heels," he declared as she came up next to him.

"I'll make sure everyone shows you their shoes before Friday. They may hate me but at least they listen to me. Besides...I think everyone is really excited for this. Your dad has been our biggest supporter."

"Because he's absolutely amazing….oh no."

"What?" She looked up from the sailor-style flats she was eying just in time to see a blazer-clad boy tumbling through the dresses with two arms full of supplies from the store she knew for a fact Kurt got all his 'little touches' from. Clearly he was here for them.

"Isn't that...that's one of those Dalton boys. I bet he's here to cause trouble. I was scouting-"

"Rachel he's with me." Kurt left her stunned as he ran over to catch one of the bags, right as it started to fall open.

The Dalton boy didn't hesitate to share his load and pass along the receipts. These two were, apparently, so familiar that Kurt had him doing the shopping for him. Mercedes swooped in to help the two out as the trio of cheerleaders and Tina stood back, arms crossed - just as Mercedes should have been doing. But she wasn't.

"So now we make friends with spies? Or are you just a proud traitor?" Santana hissed. Now Rachel was grateful for her foul mood. It would definitely come in handy.

"He's a _friend_ ," Kurt insisted.

"Just like Jesse was a friend," Tina pushed as she laid down the deepest of glares on the boy. Rachel couldn't be prouder.

"Look, I don't blame anyone for not trusting me," the enemy spoke. And Rachel, for a moment, really couldn't blame Kurt for letting him in. That voice was like a dream. Plus, from the blog-o-sphere scouting she'd done, he was a _background_ singer. She did her best to quash the concerns related to that. The videos she'd seen were from last year, but if him in the background was an indication of how much better they got then the New Directions were in trouble. But she couldn't bring herself to even complain about that this week. This wedding was kind of huge. And if they recorded it she could use it as proof of her versatility in the future. Maybe one of the numbers they were putting together would really do them good. Not 'Marry You,' though they were definitely killing that song, but...something. It'd work out. "I know the story, and I am so sorry that anyone would ever do that to you, especially you, Rachel, no one deserves that. Believe me, I know. I've _been_ there."

"What, let me guess," Santana cut in. "Prep school boys are so obsessed with their classes that their show choir is also, just like us, a group of underdogs?"

"Er, well, no, actually the Warblers are the most popular kids in school."

"Then you haven't _been there_."

"Blaine transferred to Dalton for high school," Kurt snapped back at her. " _Because_ he's been there."

"You were bullied too?" Rachel asked. "Slushies...being egged?"

"No one ever egged me but...I did get pushed down the stairs, among other things," the dreamy boy told them. "And especially after I came out I didn't really have any friends...so, to stay safe, I left." He edged closer to Kurt as Santana circled around him. Like a vulture who'd just found her prey.

"Or you could be making it all up to try and steal the one kind of voice your boy-band doesn't have and disqualify us from competing all in one blow," she accused. "You'd be certain to win Nationals if you took us out of the picture."

"I think I'd have to steal some people from Vocal Adrenaline for that...They have won how many years in a row?"

"We are poised to steal their crown. Everyone knows it. And taking one player is easier than getting...I think you'd need six? Or is it eight? Of their boys to defect in order to disqualify them. Here you just need one."

"I'm not transferring!" Kurt hissed. "Blaine is my friend. And I'm sick of everyone putting him down! When you do that, you do realize you're _just_ as bad as Vocal Adrenaline, right? Hating someone just because they're competition. Not giving them a real shot. I'm not leaving McKinley, and I'm not going to stop being friends with Blaine. _Deal with it_." In true diva fashion, their counter-tenor potential starlet spun on his heels and stormed out of the store.

"Kurt!" Blaine called, starting to run after him.

"Let me," Rachel said, taking off at a run. As the sirens went off she could hear Mercedes calling out 'don't worry we'll pay for that she has an emergency!' to cover her. For a moment she thought Blaine was going to follow. Then she remembered that he was having a hard time juggling his wares. He didn't stand a chance on catching up. But she did. And she caught Kurt just as he rounded the fountain and grabbed him by the arm.

"Let go!" he demanded as he ripped his arm away. "Don't grab me!"

"How else was I supposed to get you to stop? I've never even stormed out that fast."

"Except every time Mr. Shue wanted to try to be fair and let someone who _isn't_ you have a solo."

A helium machine couldn't have filled her lungs up faster. "You and I _both_ know that I am this club's best shot at going to Nationals! Quinn is good, and Mercedes' ballads are beautiful, but they don't have my diversity, my power, my-"

"I'm not saying you're not a star, Rachel. But you're not the only star. And you do realize it's going to be the exact same way when you do pack up and head out to Broadway, right? You're not going to be the only person out there who can sing and dance and perform. And no one wants to work with someone who's disrespectful. If you have a temper tantrum in the middle of an audition they'll just give the part to the next girl."

"I know that. But I also know that the more times I'm center stage _now_ the more likely they are to notice me early."

"...Broadway producers and directors are not going to come to a high school singing competition to scout out kids. Its not football Rachel."

"But _someone_ could see it, and whisper my name." The reason for his storm out had been forgotten long enough to get him to sit down on the fountain's edge. "I've actually been talking to Mr. Shue about you."

"...Me?"

"Mmhm. You're really our second best singer even if you can't really pull off a traditional male-female duet-"

"You've never even let me _try_."

"Kurt."

"Remember Give up the Funk?"

"Right. No one knew you could do that. But that's not your normal singing range. Don't strain yourself and ruin your voice, ok? Because Mr. Shue might be giving you a very prominent role at sectionals."

"...You asked him to do that?"

"I did. Because...you are right. I'm not the only star, and as good as I am...so's Vocal Adrenaline. And they're packed full of girls _and_ guys that are just as talented as I am. But there is something they don't have. That no one else we've faced has, or probably will have for a long time."

"If you say it's me I swear-"

"It _is_ you Kurt! We could sing Defying Gravity together and of course I'll take care of the high note-"

"I can _not_ do that to my dad. If that video got out at school, things would get so much worse. For him. People already give him a hard time for….for not trying harder to 'fix' me, make me the kind of man they think I should be. And if people heard me singing a girl's song...Rachel. He can't handle that."

"...You're a really good son Kurt. Fine. We'll come up with something. But you're our secret weapon this year. And I'm not just saying that to keep you from defecting to Dalton-"

"I'm not going to defect!"

"Are you kidding me? Did you _see_ that boy? He is _hot_."

"A hot boy is no reason to change schools. Did you transfer for Jesse?"

"No, because while Carmel may help me get farther in the long run than a school no one outside of our sports conference has heard of, they also hold the really talented kids back on purpose to keep them in the choir forever. I've started a new letter writing campaign to complain about that. If students can't keep up in school and that includes passing every year, then they shouldn't be allowed to perform."

"Rachel. Maybe just ask them to put an age limit on it. Because sometimes kids aren't held back because the school is trying to rig the game. Sometimes they really did need to retake a year. And we'd be jerks if we said that on top of that kind of humiliation they also couldn't be in a club that, by it's name, it supposed to bring joy."

"...See. I need you to be my co-star. I didn't even think of that!"

"Because you only ever think of yourself."

"That's not true. I'm thinking of you every time I talk to Mr. Shue about your solo."

"You already said that you think I'm the secret to winning sectionals. Which means that you get to keep being Glee's number one diva."

"You and I both know that we're tied for first place on that one." She dared to scoot a little closer as his head bowed from the laughter. "We're two of a kind. And don't tell me it isn't true. You can storm out just as good as I can. If that isn't proof I don't know what is."

"I suppose Blaine makes the parallel even more obvious, doesn't he?"

"Just a bit. And...I swear, we aren't against him just because he's from a really talented rival show choir. We just don't want you to end up like I did."

"Finn said the exact same thing. I think Mercedes did too."

"Good! Because we care about you. We really want you to be happy. _Really_ happy. Not just attached to the first boy who would sing a duet with you when you were at your lowest point. I have _been_ there. Trust me it's not somewhere you want to go. Because then he'll have all kinds of power over you-"

"I have no plans on dating him any time soon. _Because_ of Jesse. Ok? I promise." He leaned away when she lifted her pinky up to him, but reluctantly accepted the gesture.

"But he is on your radar, right? You'd be crazy not to go after him if he turned out to be good."

"Oh he's a good guy. A really good guy."

"And cute."

"And _hot_. And Rachel, you should have heard him sing!"

"You do have a crush!"

"No!"

"Yes."

"...Maybe a little."

"Maybe a lot."

"Ok fine. I have a crush on him. The kind of crush you had when you did that whole awkward 'you're the one that I want' creepy stalker girl routine to Finn. Except I'm trying to not go creepy stalker on him."

"You mean like setting your parents up just so you can get closer to him?"

"I kind of ran out of parents after that one."

"Would you do that again if you could?"

"Definitely not. Because I would never risk Blaine becoming my brother. Because then we really couldn't date."

"You're really serious about this one, huh?"

"...I might be."

"Ok, make me one more promise. And then I'll let this whole thing go and trust you and your judgements with this Blaine Warbler boy." She forcibly took his pinkie this time and held it up in hers. "If he breaks your heart, you come to me _first_. As your best friend it should be my right to be the first to retaliate against him."

"As my best friend?" Their eyes bore into each other as the words sunk in.

"Yeah." Their relationship was more than a sabotage makeover and a duet. And the whole gay thing. Gay dads didn't automatically mean that she and Kurt were destined to be best friends but she had enjoyed bringing him over during the previous summer. Her dads had just been excited that she had friends. Her love of performing had always been her first goal so she had never really ever had anyone over before. Except now. Now her boyfriend was visiting and Kurt was visiting. None of the other girls ever wanted to come. But Kurt would. And they would always have that afternoon when they just sat together at the piano playing showtune after showtune after showtune, not even having to ask before moving into the next one. Whether he liked it or not, they were destined to be best friends.

"Ok, fine, _Glinda_." His pinkie curled tighter around hers. "I promise."

When they returned to the dress shop, arm in arm, Blaine was the one forking out the money for her dress - as a show of good will, apparently - and the other girls were all _complimenting_ each other.

"Kurt, I'm really sorry," Quinn said as they approached. "You were right. This dress is amazing."

"Rachel you're _glowing_ ," Tina cheered as she ran up to the star diva's other side. "That dress looks so good on you."

"Blaine, what did you give them?" she heard Kurt whispering.

"I just reminded them how important your dad is to you, and Finn's mom to him," he whispered back. "You would never do anything to mess that up. You care too much." The girl completely expected them to share a little kiss, like her fathers did when they were cooking breakfast. This young gay love was just too cute.

"I know," Rachel told the girls. "Red always has been one of my best colors." She caught sight of Quinn rolling her eyes. Actually, looking at it and thinking about Burt and Carole did make the color of the dress look a lot better on her. Maybe there was something to this putting others first thing.

… … … … …. … … … … …

While the girls had tried to stay and help make decorations, Kurt had sent them off to their homes to try on their shoes with their dresses and make sure everything fit perfectly. Blaine had a sneaky suspicion that he just wanted to send them all away. His friend had seemed very antsy from the moment he'd joined the group back in that store.

"I really think all your friends are warming up to me," he said as he tied another ribbon around another bouquet of flowers.

"Well you did handle that whole dress situation like a genius."

"I just told them the truth. Its not their wedding, they can pick the dresses that the bridesmaids wear at _their_ weddings when they get married."

"Technically it's not my wedding either."

"But your dad put full trust in you to get everything ready. So you're in charge of this too."

"As much as you're doing to help me, I really wish I could make you a groomsman. Or at least bring you to the wedding so you can see all the decor in action." If not for the tight grip Kurt had on his bouquet Blaine would have sworn he had no idea what he'd just implied, with his words. Going with someone to a wedding was often considered a date, especially when that someone was an essential stranger to the family that was having the wedding. Or he could just be reading too much into it. After all, so far everyone who'd met him had given him the third degree and there was no worse place for that sort of behavior than at Kurt's dad's wedding.

The silence that enveloped them as they threw themselves into their work wasn't lost on Blaine either.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Hm?"

"You sent away all the help, and you haven't been this quiet since...well, since Karofsky kissed you. Did something happen today?"

"Actually something did happen."

"What?"

"Karofsky was expelled."

"What! Why?"

"For being a bully. They finally couldn't turn a blind eye and even though he's the football team's giant and a hockey team star, he's just...stepped too far out of line this time."

"Kurt. Did he...do anything to you?"

"Nothing more than normal. But he did get in a scuffle in the locker room with the glee club guys. Coach Beiste didn't like that, but I guess if they'd actually tried to do anything about it they would have been suspended because they did kind of start it, technically, and the school has a blind policy about those things anyway. Everyone involved in a fight is suspended. But they kind of agreed not to talk about it."

"...Then how was he expelled?"

"Oh, it just. It all added up. And Coach Sylvester had enough so-" A door slammed upstairs. It sent a shiver right up Blaine's spine. He saw Kurt's fingers clench down on the bouquet he was holding. That was all he needed to see to get clumsily to his feet. Especially as the heavy footfalls came towards Kurt's door. And the door itself burst open and whoever it was - Finn, apparently it was Finn - came barrelling down the stairs. Like a wrecking ball.

"Stop ignoring my calls!" he yelled. Blaine watched as Kurt rubbed his palms across his thighs.

"Finn I don't have time to chat. This wedding needs to be put together-"

"Cut the crap, Kurt. You can't just drop something like _that_ on us and _not_ talk about it!"

"I talked to my dad!"

"But not me! When did this even happen?"

"A couple weeks ago. During Boys versus Girls."

"Weeks! This didn't even just happen yesterday-I'd understand that. But weeks! I thought we were supposed to be a family, but you never talk to me about these things-"

"Gee I'm so sorry you aren't the first person on my mind night and day whenever anything happens. You know if I remember right weren't you just afraid that that would happen a few months ago?"

"I don't want you to think of me like _that_ but we are going to be brothers in a few days you think you'd tell me that someone was trying to kill you!"

"Kill!" Blaine gasped, but he didn't get a chance to ask. The two just kept at it.

"Oh, that's rich. _Now_ you want to be my brother. Where were you yesterday when Sam was getting punched in the face for me? You only do this whole brother thing when it's easy for you. Why don't I come to you for help? Because you _don't help_."

"I didn't know it was that bad Kurt! If I'd known he was trying to kill you I-I! I would have done something."

"So it takes death threats for you to care?"

"I care! But you always act like you can handle it, like you have everything under control. How was I supposed to know!"

"Ok, woah," Blaine tried, putting himself between them. This was no way to start off a brotherhood. Also... _kill?!_

"Blaine knew," Kurt tossed him in front of the bus. "He knew how much I was hurting and he knew just by looking at me, and that was the day after we met. You've known me for years. You can't tell me you didn't know. Dad, he couldn't have known because I used all my energy to keep him from finding out. But you? Everyone else in that club knew. _Mr. Shue_ knew and he doesn't exactly have the greatest record of noticing what's going on with us. You can _not_ pretend you didn't have a clue. You _chose_ not to help Finn."

"I didn't think it was something you couldn't handle. I didn't know it was that serious. You've always been so...so...so good at letting everything roll off."

"And you really think that's a great way for anyone to live?"

"...I... _no_ , but...we're all doing what we can to survive high school. But as soon as he threatened to kill you, you should have told someone...You should have told _me_."

"So you could finally step up? Do you really want to know why I didn't tell you?" Kurt's hands curled up into fists and he even took a step forward. "Because I didn't think you'd do anything! Because I believed that you'd just tell me to 'stop making a spectacle of myself' and that it was no big deal!"

"Do you really think I'm like that Kurt?"

"Sometimes! When something looks bad for you, you have a really, really hard time stepping up. Why would this be any different?"

"Because he threatened to kill you! That's _serious_! I don't want you to die!"

"But it's just fine for me to be pushed around, stalked, and attacked every single day."

"No! Kurt...I'm sorry. I am really, really sorry. I...I guess I can't blame you, for not telling me." The giant seemed to shrink before their very eyes. Kurt's arms crossed protectively over his chest, as though he was trying to shield his heart from all of this. "Did he know?" Finn's finger jutted out to point straight at Blaine. "Did you tell him?"

"No this is _definitely_ news to me. Believe me. No matter what I promised if I'd known about that before right now, I would have told someone." He glanced over to make sure Kurt knew that he disapproved of this. Though he understood why Kurt had kept it quiet. They were the only two that knew Karofsky's secret, which put Kurt at very high risk considering how violent the guy was. But while he'd foolishly agreed not to tell anyone about the bruises that were painted across his friend's back - though he knew if he had broken Kurt's trust he might never have gotten it back - but he'd never gamble with Kurt's very life.

"He'd never do it," Kurt stated, keeping his gaze level on Blaine. "He just said he would. He says a lot of things."

"Don't act tough now," Finn cut in. "You're just as scared about this as the rest of us. All it would have taken was for him to get upset and push you down the stairs, Kurt. Or...or what if he'd gotten mad, like he did in the locker room with the guys? That would have been your whole face!"

"It's not like it matters anymore anyway. He's gone. Sue expelled him."

"I know. I know! I just. Kurt. I...I don't want you to die, ok? We're family. I...I'm really sorry, that...I'm not the best at being a brother, I am. But...we are family. I...I uh. You know."

"I know."

"Please, please don't let anyone ever come that close to taking you away from us. I really don't want to think about a future without you in it."

"I won't. Now...we need to finish making the decorations." His voice was absolutely shaking. "And you're supposed to be practicing that dance, for your mom, remember? Right after your tux fitting, that was your homework for the night."

"...I remember. All the guys, yeah. I know. Kurt-"

" _Go_."

"Right." As the giant shuffled back up the stairs - much more quietly this time - Blaine let the fists he hadn't even realized he'd been making unclench. On one hand, Kurt had had a warning. Advance notice that his life was in danger. On the other hand - Kurt's life had been in danger and he hadn't even noticed.

On the other other hand, Kurt hadn't told anyone. He'd completely buried it. His life was in danger and he'd kept that little bit of information all to himself. Yes, _yes_ Blaine understood why he'd felt like he couldn't. Blaine had done the same exact thing in middle school for very similar reasons - he hadn't wanted to hurt his mother, he was scared that no one would care, he was scared that it'd get worse because of the attention being called to it, he was scared of the attention period! That didn't shake the pain deep inside that had welled up upon this discovery. He could have lost Kurt.

Just when he was about to join the scolding bandwagon, a sniffle fell upon his ears. When he turned around, he saw Kurt collapse into a ball on the floor. His friend didn't even make it the two steps backwards to fall onto his bed. He just fell right to the ground.

The sobs made Blaine's heart positively ache. It wasn't fair. Kurt deserved better than this. He definitely deserved better than being scolded. While it sucked that Kurt hadn't told him, or anyone, and there was a fear aching inside of the younger teen over how badly this could have gone, what Kurt needed was someone to hold him and tell him everything was alright. At least...that was what Blaine would have wanted. He knew Kurt was a lot more hands off though. Though that could have been because of the bruising...But he couldn't stand around debating, he had to do something. And since he wasn't entirely sure what Kurt would want (having only known him for three weeks) he decided to go with his gut instinct.

He sat himself down beside his friend and curled an arm around his shoulders. Kurt turned right into his side and pressed his face up against Blaine's shoulder to stifle his tears. "It's ok," he whispered into Kurt's hair. "It's ok. It's...it's ok. It's all over. He's gone. You're safe now."

"I'm sorry Blaine," he whispered back.

 **** **"** **...I know. Its hard to get help. Believe me, I...I waited until it was almost too late too." Granted, when he did ask for help, no one was there for him anyway. But Kurt had Finn. And his dad, his soon-to-be step-mom, and so many more. And...and Kurt had him. Perhaps it was prideful to think that way, but he felt like this moment - being right here, right now, alive and well and able to help his new best friend through all of this - was something that his whole life had been built to. He was still here so he could be there for Kurt. "We're both still here. We're still here Kurt. We're alive." He didn't realize he was tearing up himself until a tear escaped down his cheek. "We made it."**


	10. Monday: Stay in Bed

Monday: Stay in Bed

Burt let his heavy hands sit on Kurt's shoulders for a moment after they got out of the car. The school day wasn't even technically over yet. McKinley would be in its last period and by the looks of things Dalton was at a similar point in their schedule.

He had no regrets, and he was glad that Carole didn't seem to have any either. Their honeymoon was already cancelled (he'd called the airport and hotel and everything else in the car) and they had gotten written statements from key witnesses - that being now former Principal Sue Sylvester, Choir Director and Spanish Teacher William Schuester, and Football Coach (and presumably teacher of something? maybe gym?) Shannon Bieste - to help them get Kurt in before the money was returned to his account. Since without it they couldn't put down the payment that needed to be handed over. But he'd also called Dalton and talked to the principal there about their situation and he had proof that they'd have the money by early next week.

It just sucked that Kurt had to hear all that. He'd been tucked away so quiet in the backseat as they drove right over for what was apparently a required interview. There were a lot of required things that the staff had eagerly agreed to speed through and waive where they could. It was a good sign. They were doing everything in their power to protect a kid that they had no personal ties to and really no reason to do anything to help, considering, well, their financial situation. It gave Burt hope that Dalton was a good move. Because they just could not keep Kurt at McKinley. Even if Kurt hadn't wanted to go to Dalton, Burt's heart couldn't take it, having him there with a guy who threatened to kill him. He couldn't lose his son.

"I'm sorry," he heard the small teen whisper.

"For what?"

"This weekend was...it was so great, but now-"

"Don't even go there." His hands curled tighter on those shoulders. Not on purpose, but to remind himself that Kurt was here, Kurt was alive, and they were going to make sure Kurt stayed that way.

"But Dad!"

"Kurt," Carole cut in, taking his hand in her own. "You're more important." For a moment, they lingered there, next to the car, just steps away from the grandiose front doors of the estate-like school that was Dalton Academy. It was frustrating, in a way. The day was so beautiful. When they'd woken up the sun had been out, the temperatures were in the upper 50s - it wasn't November weather at all. Today was supposed to be a good day. His first full day married to Carole, Kurt's first full day as Finn's brother. He'd even heard a rumor (ok, well, Finn's loud mouthed girlfriend had bragged to him) that Mr. Schue was going to give Kurt a very important solo.

But _this_ had to happen.

His fingers curled a little bit tighter. Kurt pulled away at the feeling.

"Sorry," he started to offer.

"Let's just go back," Kurt declared.

"What?"

"Let's just. Let's forget this. And go back to McKinley."

" _What_."

"I just...I really don't think we should make such a big deal out of this. It's not like he's actually going to do it. He's just a neanderthal who wants to be big and tough and really, by running away aren't we giving him all the power? He wins!"

"Your life isn't a _game_ Kurt. There is no winning and losing, there's only _living_ and I'd much prefer you do that safely here no matter what some idiot thinks than risk yourself there."

"Dad, I can't do this. I can't leave McKinley. McKinley is home. The New Directions need me. I...I...I can't...I can't be a coward, Dad. I can't run away. I can't be like that. I'm not weak. I'm _your_ son. What does that tell everyone else? No one pushes the Hummels around? Well someone _is_ and we're just taking it. We're not like that!"

It was hard enough to face losing his kid, but to realize that it was in part because of his macho style was probably even harder. Burt didn't linger blaming himself though. His teen needed a father to step up and make this right. So he grabbed Kurt by his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "You're not a coward."

"We're running away Dad."

"No. We're walking away, for now. Don't think that we're just going to leave this here. Finn and the rest of those kids are going to keep their eyes open. We're going to find a way to fight back. But in the meantime, you have to stay safe. And...sometimes, the more courageous thing to do is to just walk away."

"Dad...I..."

"I love you."

"I love you too." Burt looked over to his wife. She was lost in that spot between 'am I family enough to hug him too' and 'does he just need his daddy right now,' but he appreciated her patience. She loved his boy as much as he loved hers. Even though there was still a few little details they had to work out between them. The things that couldn't be talked about. Only discovered in time. "We're going to be late for that interview."

"Right."

There was something powerful when he saw Carole link her arm in Kurt's. Her hand patted over his in that soft sweet way. He got the door for them. "Which way-" she started to ask.

"The main office is down this hall," Kurt informed them. "The principal's office is upstairs."

"You've been in there?"

"Uhm, yes. I uh. A few times. I visited. I did one of those day visits. The Warblers helped me get in."

"...I didn't know you two were already looking at Dalton."

"We weren't," Burt said. "But it's fine. We already talked about cutting school. Speaking of, though, Kurt, you can't cut school if we're going to be paying this much for you to be here."

"Right. Well, there's just one day I need out anyway," the teen said. Burt tried not to frown or judge. It was probably for some performance. Which he would decide on closer to the time if that was the case.

"What for?" Carole asked.

"Well, a friend of mine...ok see, his old school was dangerous for him, that's why he's at Dalton, but his old school comes here once a year for the academic decathlon. That's right after Thanksgiving this year. I was going to ask if I could skip school to keep him company, because he doesn't go to school when they're here. After everything he's done for me this last month, I want to do something for him. And that's something I can do. Keep him company."

"...I think we can do that," Burt said. "Just let me know as soon as you can. And the two of you have to stay at home. Ours or his, I don't care. But I don't want some officer calling me saying he found two school skippers out at the mall."

"Trust me Dad. I will not make that mistake twice."

"...are there some things I need to know?" Carole asked.

"It's all in the past," Burt said. That's when he noticed them. Two boys. Down the hall, frozen in time. He seemed to be the first to see them because as soon as Kurt saw them he came to a standstill. "Those two look familiar."

"They're Warblers," Kurt said. "David and Wes." They waved. He looked to Kurt to see if his son would wave back, but the kid didn't. He just started walking again with his head ducked. Carole almost tripped trying to keep up with him and he didn't really pay attention to her when he ducked into the office.

As for the boys, well, Burt watched as they turned and ran off down the hall. He would have liked to stay and find out why but, well, his son needed him.

Carole was the one doing most all of the talking. Where Kurt had been shaken and quiet before, he was bottled up and silent now. Burt didn't try to interpret it. They could talk about all of this _later_. There were some very important things to attend to at this very second. Like the principal-headmaster person that seemed to be scrutinizing them all. "Pleasure to meet you," he said politely, holding his hand out. "Don't mind me, we weren't exactly expecting to be making this trip today. Or any important trips." He was well aware that his son looked like he'd stepped out of some fancy magazine while he clearly belonged squarely somewhere just north of the poverty line. "Did they tell you-"

"Its an emergency situation," the principal finished. "They did. We just have a few formalities to go over - Ms. Tracy will talk about all the financial details with you while I conduct Kurt's interview. It's merely a formality, really. I've already heard all about you."

"...You have?"

"I like to sit in on the Warblers when they're practicing from time to time. I used to be one, back in my day, oh a hundred or so years ago." The man chuckled to try and lighten the mood but Kurt just shifted his weight to the other side. "Alright, right this way." Burt watched his one and only child disappear behind the heavy wooden door. He knew Kurt would have no trouble. The kid was brilliant at making people love him. Which was already very easy as it was. He was just so loveable. Of course that was a father's bias.

Really, he had the hard part. Coming up with the money. The secretary seemed to be well aware because she made absolute sure to show him all the different scholarships Kurt could get. Apparently there were dozens of things he could do. Including just being part of the show choir. Apparently there were endless droves of alumni who were donating to the school specifically for its music program so there was plenty of wiggle room for scholarships for talented young music types. "He's already being considered for that," the secretary made sure to inform them. "Since he's part of McKinley's choir, plus the boys all say he's a good singer."

"He's a great singer," Burt corrected without even thinking twice about it. He signed his name and even dared to try to give it the tiniest bit of a flourish. He wasn't sure if that was because of his fancy son or because of their posh environment but it just felt like something he needed to do.

"Here is the payment plan," she said, holding it up to them. "It's all online too, so you can pay there, and any scholarships will be automatically added and will take the monthly total down for you. It's a really smart system."

"Sounds like it. I don't suppose there's a tutorial for it, so I don't mess up, is there?" He wasn't as concerned about messing up, of course, as he was about having to ask Kurt for help and his son seeing it. The lady happily walked him through it completely unawares.

It wasn't very long before his son was returned to him, still as quiet and grim as ever but holding up his new blazer and tie as though it were a white flag. "I should try it on," Kurt whispered. Burt didn't hesitate to take them from him.

The blazer was heavy in the man's hands as Kurt slowly pushed off his own layers. He actually kind of recognized the pieces. Sort of. Of course he knew they'd been altered since he'd last seen them. Kurt altered everything he bought. Though he'd been doing that less and less as he spent more time with friends. Especially these Dalton kids.

Carole took the pieces as they were handed to her.

It was actually really strange seeing his son in nothing more than a shirt and pants. Just a shirt. No vest, no jacket, no...corset. Or whatever else he decided to wear. Just a simple button up shirt and pants. It almost felt like the poor kid was naked without the rest of it.

Kurt didn't entirely take the blazer from him. He just started slipping his arms into the thing. Burt lifted it up onto his shoulders for him. Kurt clasped the button.

His button up didn't match and he didn't even have a tie on at all. But that didn't matter. His son was a Dalton kid now. Honestly the look suited him. Kurt had always seemed like he belonged somewhere other than the halls of a typical public school. He was kind of...soft, but not in a bad way. Like his mom. Gentle, but ferocious. His artist's heart was worn on all of his features.

"You look great kid," Burt offered.

All he got in return was a weak smile. He knew his son's smiles. There was the primly pressed 'I'm not deeply happy about this but it's not upsetting me either' smile, the ear-to-ear impish 'I'm definitely trying to get into trouble and there's nothing anyone can do about it' smile, and, Burt's favorite, the huge open mouthed smile that said that Kurt was truly and deeply happy. The kind he'd had on when he'd found out about the whole engagement and marriage thing. This was none of those kinds of smiles. This was a smile that said 'Dad, I'm in pain right now.'

And there was nothing Burt could do to fix that.

As Burt let his hands slip away from Kurt's shoulders, three boys - the two from earlier and the that Thad kid who had the car troubles - barrelled into the office. "So it's true," Thad whispered.

"You're transferring," one of the others said.

"Yeah," Kurt whispered. "I'm a Dalton boy now."

"Well let us be the first to welcome you then," the third said.

"Thanks Wes."

"And of course we all agreed that if you did transfer you'd be a Warbler," the one that was apparently David announced. "You've already proven your singing capabilities. And since we've all seen it we all voted that you are in."

"We would have been here sooner," Thad explained, "but we had to call an emergency Warbler meeting to hold the vote. It was unanimous."

"...and everyone was there?" Kurt whispered.

"Everyone."

"Ok, ok," Burt interjected when he saw his son shrinking away from the trio. "Thank you. But I think we're going to go pick up Kurt's brother and get some dinner. This has been a really exhausting day. You three, and the rest of the Warblers, can talk to Kurt tomorrow. Or just text him since I know you all do that."

"Actually, I just...I kind of want to just go home and get some sleep," Kurt whispered.

"Can we show you a surprise first?" Wes asked. "We have this whole traditional welcome planned, the kind we do for all the new members each year-"

"No thanks."

"Blaine's going to sing lead for this one," Thad offered.

"...No thanks." The teen pushed past them right out of the office.

"Now is really not the time," Burt chastised the boys.

"If, if uh, you don't mind my asking-"

"I do." He took his wife's hand and followed after his son. It wasn't hard. Kurt had become a statue in the middle of the hallway. It wasn't hard for Burt to guess why either. That same short boy that had been pretty much everywhere Burt had found his son with any various mixture of these Dalton kids was standing there, thumbs in his pockets, jaw dropped at the sight of his son. Even though Burt could only see the back of Kurt's head, he could imagine the look on his face. Something told him that this was probably Blaine. He'd heard the name passed around plenty these last few weeks - Kurt was going out with Blaine to see a show, Finn was upset that Kurt couldn't be found and he suspected Kurt was with Blaine again, Mercedes was so bored she'd come to hang out at the car shop because Kurt was out with Blaine. If these two weren't dating then they were at the very least awfully good friends. But Burt highly suspected that they were dating, based on the body language.

Maybe this was why he'd been so scared. He looked like a coward in front of his boyfriend. It seemed childish to the man who was in his mid forties, but then again Kurt was still a _child_.

"Mr. Hummel-Kurt," Thad interrupted the moment. "Please, can you tell us what happened?" Kurt just stood there in silence. So the trio of Warblers turned to the parents. "Please."

"What happened is only your business if Kurt decides to make it your business." His son turned back to look at him for just a moment. Then he glanced over each boy in turn before simply shrugging.

"I'm tired," he said. "Can we go home?"

"Sure," Carole whispered back, taking hold of his arm again and escorting him down the hall.

"There's your answer fellas," Burt told them once his family was far enough away. "And you better accept it for what it is because if I hear that _any_ of you are making things harder on him, I am _not_ afraid to get the school board involved." He had no qualms about invoking that zero tolerance bullying policy - or arguing that their pestering, no matter how well intentioned, was bullying if he had to. Kurt was going through enough right now. He just needed to relax and for his life to get back to some kind of normal.

The boys all pushed away. All except for the short one named Blaine. The poor kid looked close to tears. Burt just hoped Kurt could forgive him for this.


	11. Thursday: Never Looking Back

Thursday: Never Looking Back

It was quite clear from the outset on Tuesday that Kurt was having transition troubles. There were some things that were obviously easy - like being instantly popular. Blaine remembered how it was to go from the bottom right to the top at a speed that rivaled hopping on a rocket ship. He'd practically gotten whiplash. Kurt was faring better with being an instant starlet, but then again Kurt had transferred in before his old school had almost completely destroyed him. Blaine felt a bit of prideful heroism seeing that smile on his friend's face every time someone ran up to give him a high five. Kurt definitely wasn't scared of anyone here.

There were other things that were definitely a struggle. Maybe Blaine's assertion that a jacket was all he needed hadn't quite been accurate. So Blaine had started in on the efforts of trying to guide Kurt into the Warblers and show him how to blend. Which would have been a lot easier had Kurt been, well, talking to him.

Aside from their conversation about solos, Kurt had barely even noticed him it seemed. Sure sometimes he caught the kid looking at him from across the room or down the hall but there wasn't any talking. Not even on their phones. He'd had to find out the reason for Kurt's transfer from _Mercedes_. Not even Mercedes herself - he'd stumbled on it from her _Facebook_. From a very public and unabashed status about homophobes at McKinley. Which had been shared from Rachel's wall. Which meant that she hadn't even been the one to write it. He liked Mercedes, of course. And Rachel, what he knew of her. But that was something he'd absolutely expected Kurt to tell him himself.

Blaine had definitely tried to call and text Kurt, but he'd never gotten a response. In theory, it would make sense for Kurt to be a bit more withdrawn. That was what he himself had done when he transferred here. Except Kurt wasn't withdrawn. He was making friends left and right. Everyone was fascinated by him. Everyone wanted to know more about him.

So on Wednesday Blaine had thought maybe he was just hanging out with new friends, getting to know this new place and meeting all the new people. He knew that the Juniors had decided to have a get together, maybe that's where Kurt was. Hanging out with his new classmates.

Until he'd found out that no, Kurt hadn't gone to that. Apparently he'd gone straight home and holed up in his room for the night. If his new brother was accurate, and seeing as Mr. Hummel didn't seem to be too tight on curfew and where the boys could go Blaine highly doubted that he had to pretend to be home then sneak out.

So Kurt was actively ignoring and avoiding him. It stung. It also made the fact that he didn't really know his 'new best friend' that well very clear. Which double-y reinforced Blaine's decision to not date this one. Even though Kurt was oh so beautiful. If he had capitalized on all those evenings they had had over the last month and asked for a 'real date' or tried to kiss Kurt, then this right now would probably have broken them up. Maybe. Blaine didn't like being ignored. Especially when he thought that he and Kurt had something special. As friends. They were definitely just friends. Nothing more.

It hurt so bad because they were on the verge of a real true deep life-long kind of friendship. That was all.

He was supposed to be Kurt's confidant and protector. He was supposed to _matter_. Kurt had been coming to him for help for the last month. That was their entire relationship! Kurt came to him. He got Kurt to smile that beautiful smile again, they had some fun, gossiped a lot about everything, and then they started it all over the next day. And it wasn't that Kurt _didn't_ have problems at Dalton. He definitely did. But they weren't bullying problems.

Was that the problem? Was that all their friendship was? Was he...being used?

No. No no. Kurt was not like that. Not from what everyone else had said. Then again everyone else hadn't been helping him with Karofsky.

Thursday found Blaine spending his study hall by himself trying to stay calm. He was quite a dramatic person all in all, and he knew it. He was overthinking things. Kurt was just adjusting. It was odd, sure, that he didn't turn to his friend and confidant and person who knew him best within these walls and could probably help him the best. But maybe this was how Kurt just dealt with things. After all he had turned to someone who _wasn't_ in his school to deal with Karofsky. Yeah.

Psyched up, he hurried out of study hall as their shared lunch period began. "Ok Kurt," he announced, linking their arms and not leaving his friend any room to get out of it. "We are going to the Lima Bean. It is high time you were introduced to the most traditional of Warbler traditions. Midday coffee."

"Oh so _that's_ how you always manage to have a constant pep in your step."

"Precisely. And seeing as you haven't been partaking I'm actually shocked that you manage it too. Do you hide pixie dust in that hair of yours?"

"They don't let us have coffee at McKinley. We have to energize ourselves in other ways. Like singing."

"Speaking of singing-"

"I have been practicing, every lunch and every study hall."

"Is it supposed to be a surprise even for me?" His friend's shoulder just lifted up in a shrug. "Is that what you've been doing after school too?"

"...No. I've been, uhm, studying. I have to catch up in all these new classes and forget half of what I was learning at McKinley because apparently its not even going to be discussed here. Catcher in the Rye? Nope - we're reading _Frankenstein_. Which I actually do like a whole lot more." Good. Casual conversation, no shrugging off. This was good. "Which I still need to read five more chapters in to be caught up."

"Can't you use sparknotes or something like that?"

"Are you really suggesting I cheat!" He held his hand up to his chest and winked at Blaine, feigning insult.

"I'm just saying no one will blame you if you cut a few innocent corners just so long as the results are the same, at least until you start a new chapter or section in each class. Do you have your keys?"

"Always. This not having a locker thing is really weird."

"You get used to it." They had copies of all their books available in each classroom, and the library, and there were sets to take home as needed. The school was essentially an old estate so it wasn't exactly built to have lockers, and no one had ever wanted to mar the beautiful design by adding them in. So they'd compensated at no cost to the students.

"I do like it."

Everything was just fine. Kurt was just fine. It made sense too, his excuses. Of course he had to study. Of course he was practicing for his audition.

So why was he so tense? He pulled away as soon as Blaine let go of him. His back stayed straighter than ever before whenever Blaine was around. And it was just Blaine. The shorter teen watched as Kurt drove them there, nibbling on that soft lip the entire time. It was a nervous thing. He was going to put a hole in it if he didn't stop and the whole lip piercing thing just didn't seem like it would suit his face. The worst part was that Blaine couldn't figure out how he was going to bring it up.

"Kurt."

"Hm?"

"You don't really like Dalton, do you?"

"What? Why would you say that of course I like Dalton. It's beautiful. It's a dream. And there's no Karofsky. And...you're here. We can hang out whenever we want now."

"Yeah, and we haven't hung out since your transfer. Not once."

"...Well, I have been busy. Studying. Practicing. And practice with everyone else too. And I still have a job. It's rough."

"We can study together, if you'd like. I might be a year behind you but I know what the teachers are looking for. Maybe I can help. And I'm really good at math. Like, really good. We're both in Geometry right?"

"We are."

"Yeah. So maybe we can help each other out at least in that."

"I'm not really having trouble with keeping up in Geometry. That's the same no matter where you go, more or less."

He was so calm about it. So cool, in fact. As he leaned back, crossed his leg nonchalantly over his knee, and sipped at his coffee. It was so effortless for him. _He_ was effortless. Blaine felt small next to his friend. It must have been so nice to be so confident. This was the real Kurt when he was free of terror. Or maybe Blaine was just being too dramatic. As usual. That was probably more accurate.

"Kurt, I'm trying to find ways for us to hang out! It's like you don't even want to spend time with me anymore."

"Of course I want to spend time with you!"

"I haven't seen you in _days_. You don't even text me anymore."

"...We see each other all the time. We go to the same school now. We can just...talk. Like this." Kurt lifted his coffee up in a mock toast.

"But we don't."

"...sure we do." Blaine pressed his palms down against the cool table.

"We talked more often when I only got to see you after school." He watched as his friend put the coffee down and folded his hands down in front of him. It was hard to tell whether Kurt was mad or about to confess something. Judging by how his eyes weren't narrowed but in fact turned away, affixed to the floor, Blaine guessed the latter. "I miss you, ok? I've had a lot of friends but...you feel like the first friend who actually honestly just _gets_ me, without much effort at all. I really like that."

"We...we're still friends Blaine. I just. I…" The younger teen edged his chair slightly around the table to be just a little bit closer.

"Talk to me, Kurt. Please. I'm still here for you. If anything is wrong, I am here to help you. That's what friends are for."

"It's so hard to face you knowing that I failed, ok?"

"What?"

"I failed, Blaine. I completely failed. I tried so hard to win so I wouldn't have to run away. You said how you always regretted running away so I was trying not to and I didn't make it. I had to run too."

" _Oh_." This _was_ about their friendship. Just not in the way he'd expected it to be. "There's no shame in having to leave, you know that right? What I regretted was never the running part so much as the not trying at all part. When...when things got rough at my school, the only thing I did was talk to the teachers. When they didn't do anything, I begged my mom to let me transfer, and she did. You did so much more than that. You stood your ground, you dug in and tried to keep ahold of what you wanted in life. I let my old life go so easily. But...then again my old school wasn't exactly something worth fighting for. You have so much more to lose that doing this, being here right now in our uniform, that makes you a hero. You're fighting to stay alive because you deserve a life free of the fear of being killed just for going to class every day."

The edges of their hands pressed up against each other. There was definitely some electricity there but Blaine didn't dare make a move on it. This was his best friend. He couldn't lose this. "I just feel like I've let you down," his friend whispered.

"No. I'm proud of you. I am so glad that I know you and that you're sitting here right now. You know I wanted you to transfer two months ago-"

"You didn't even know me two months ago."

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that beyond all these regrets, something out there in the great wide universe decided that I needed to transfer to Dalton last year so that I could have the luck of being the boy you asked for help from on those stairs."

"Yeah, they're called bullies."

"Bullies, or fate?"

"Fate hm?" Blaine laughed at the adorable red tint that took over his friend's cheeks.

"Yes, fate. And maybe that fate brought you to the Warblers so we could kill at sectionals, regionals, and nationals for the first time in, oh, hm, decades."

"Yeah the age really shows on you guys. You're really going to have to step up your games if you want to beat this new breed of competition."

"I'm sure we'll be just fine. Tradition is a big deal here."

"Tradition is nice, but if there's one thing we all learned from Tevya it's that times will change whether we do or not. We all have to adapt to the world around us. Or was everything that happened to him just fate too?"

"...Ok, ok, you have a point. But I still say that this, this right here?" He motioned casually between their two coffee cups. "This was destiny."

"Some great sky monster just knew you needed someone to have coffee with. Got it. Shouldn't we be getting back before we're late for class? Maybe if I'm all caught up today we can go catch a movie. Or kidnap the TV at my house to watch Moulin Rouge again."

"Now _that_ sounds like a plan."


	12. It's Friday - I'm In Love

It's Friday - I'm in Love

With less than twenty-four hours to go before sectionals, Kurt was, well, in a weird space. Sure he was happy enough to be with the Warblers at their little gift swapping party. They were friendly. All of them wanted him to be there. Not a single person in the entire school seemed to dislike him. In fact, he had been an instant rockstar - especially when word got out that he'd been 'scouted' for the Warblers. At least that was how the story was going.

Yet as the boys swapped gifts he sat back and sipped at his coffee and just could not get his own friends out of his mind. They weren't exchanging material items but he was sure they were all holed up in a house - probably Rachel's, since she had a piano and some serious performance space on all levels of the building - singing and cheering and being, well, kind of wild. The Warblers were a lot of things but they were not wild. Apparently this party was as exciting as it got around here. He could only imagine doing his little 'bad reputation' scheme in their library would go down. Certainly not with an invite to perform at a church.

He blended in, but he didn't fit in here, and he knew it. These guys were great to hang out with but he was homesick.

It didn't help in the slightest when he watched them all exchange their gifts. The very ones he'd helped some of them pick out two weeks earlier. Since he'd joined well after the swaps had been assigned he knew he wasn't going to get anything. But that in itself was ok because it wasn't like he had anything to give out in return. He could maybe make his partner something to wear, if they were interested, but so far it seemed only Thad was interested in clothing. In a very straight man sort of way. That was something Kurt loved. Talking clothes with a straight man. That was something he couldn't have at McKinley.

Of course at McKinley he had the girls. His freaky unique diva-tastic flag was celebrated there, if only within the New Directions. Here...it was a cute quirk that he needed to squash when it came time to do anything with the guys.

His fingers brushed over his phone. It would be so easy to step out and call them. To just find a room and spend the rest of the night talking to the people he really felt comfortable with. It was strange. He didn't realize how much he'd miss it until it was gone. He actually felt sick to his stomach being separated from them like this.

"Hey Kurt?" Trent said, waving his hand in front of his face. Kurt shook his head to bring himself back to the party at hand. He knew he was lost in space and he really didn't care. But these guys were nice. So he smiled and shrugged his thoughts aside for the time being. They could keep him up all night later.

"Hm?"

"Since uhm, since you didn't come to your 'welcome to the Warblers' party Monday, we uh, we..."

"We have decided to perform for you," Wes finished for him. "As a gift." They were already all lined up, just waiting to get started. Practically chomping at the bit in fact. Clearly even if Kurt said no, for any reason, they were going to try to do it anyway. Not that he would of course. He'd always kind of wanted to have someone sing a song to him while he was going through some really rough stuff. Just like Quinn had. A 'Keep Holding On' all his own.

Finn's song hadn't entirely counted because, well, it hadn't been a 'hey we'll get through this bullying' as much as it had been a 'we're brothers and I love you.' Which was a very fine message, but as Kurt straightened his back he silently begged them to sing him some classic Avril.

The boys fell into line and as they started, well, it became clear that this was not Avril. It was a whole chorus, but with how they centered Blaine, Kurt knew he was going to be getting a solo. He always did though. Kurt at least looked forward to that from the moment he realized what band they'd gone for.

"Girl, oh you came to me,

Touched my life,

Girl, how you sheltered me.

Touched my life.

It's the joy you gave to me

When I was on my own alone."

To their credit it was a Journey song that Mr. Shue hadn't gotten to yet. _Somehow_. Since they barely knew him he was willing to give them a little pass on the 'girl' thing. They would learn soon enough. Besides - Journey was a male group of straight guys. There were many love songs that would include the word girl that his future beau would probably sing to him for that very reason. Not that any of these boys were his future beau.

"Girl, your lips touchin' mine-" Blaine crooned. Kurt was sure his heart was about to stop. "Ooh, so fine." The worst part was his eyes. Did he have to look right into Kurt's eyes as he sang about touching lips and - "Girl, softly touchin' me - Ooh, so fine." There was no possible way he didn't know what he was doing. He was flirting. He had to be. And if _he_ was flirting then-No! No. They were just friends.

"She's the smile

Ooh, in my heart that sings-"

Blaine skipped forward, holding one hand out in the same way that Finn had pointed to him at the reception.

"-It's song for you again."

It was beautiful and yet still so very awkward to watch as Blaine tried to dance and show off. He didn't even seem to know what to do with himself as he marched in place and waved his arms. The guy was just completely adorable. And, Kurt suspected, capable of far, far more than standing in a line and essentially stamping his feet.

"Ooh, she opened up the door

She made my life once more

Yes, she opened

Yeah, she opened up the door

Made my life once more (Ya, you opened)

Ooh, you opened up the door

You made my life once more (Yeah, you opened)"

If he hadn't been so enamoured by their dapper lead singer and his imaginings of said singer's potential dance moves, Kurt might have laughed as the boys dispersed, proudly grinning as they awaited his approval. "We thought that Journey might make you feel more at home," Wes laughed, clapping him on the back. It was hard to give them a genuine smile about the song. Thank the universe for Blaine. His smile was only genuine because of that boy.

"Oh it definitely made me feel something," Kurt replied. Homesick, at worst - and embarrassed at best. If not for Blaine. "Is that really all we're known for? We didn't even perform _that_ many Journey songs!"

"The aumage last year had the entire show choir blogosphere chatting. Really everyone thought you at least deserved second. Probably even first, though I'm not sure if that's because everyone is sick of Vocal Adrenaline winning or because they really just went too far over the top this time. Honestly, people just don't know how to appreciate simplicity these days."

" _Wes_!" someone hissed, yanking the Warbler away to join the huddle of boys that were pretending to munch on the cookies spread out but really Kurt knew that they were watching him. When he caught sight of the sheepish way Blaine rubbed his neck, a pit formed in his stomach. This was it. This was where Blaine was going to ask him out.

Wait. He didn't want Blaine to ask him out. Right? They were just best friends. Two gay best friends. Two very attractive very gay best friends who just so casually maybe flirted sometimes or were otherwise just too comfortable with each other despite having just met.

"Guys," Blaine whispered, motioning aimlessly at them with one hand, trying to speak without speaking. "Do you mind?" he eventually relented.

"Oh come on, we want to see," Thad jabbed back.

"What's going on?" Kurt asked as quietly as he dared. He didn't want to seem overly eager, or overly nervous. He needed to be curious but relaxed but also show just a bit of fear because wasn't that the natural feeling? He was definitely a bit scared. No...not scared. Nervous. Very deeply nervous. What if Blaine _was_ asking him out and everyone around him knew it. That was way too much pressure. Though it was also kind of presumptuous of him to just assume Blaine was asking him out. They'd been very clear that their relationship was just friends. Right? They were just friends. Nothing more. Two gay men could just be friends. They were just friends. They didn't have to date just because they were the only gay men they knew. Besides Karofsky but he was too creepy to qualify as a possible future boyfriend. And he and Blaine had very clearly laid out that they were _just friends_.

As the Warblers kept staring, Blaine decided it was best to curl that dapper hand right in the crook of Kurt's elbow and stumble away to some chairs that were partly obscured by a plant. At least they'd have some privacy there.

"I uh. I got you something." He pulled his other hand out to show the palm sized box he'd been hiding. Palm sized. LIke ring sized. Ok well _that_ was definitely impossible. Kurt took a deep breath as he took the gift.

"Wait what is this?" Kurt gasped, pulling nervously at the bow. It was wrapped perfectly in bright red, and trimmed with dark blue. The wrapping had probably been picked up at that Dalton gift shop he'd heard about. But still hadn't seen. Apparently it was the place where everyone bought extra uniform parts. Where they had extra little bits of this or that. He'd have to ask to see it on Monday.

"A gift for you. For the exchange."

"But you had someone-"

"I traded. There was an odd man out, since we had an odd number until you transferred. So I traded until I was the odd one out. So I could get you something."

"...You really didn't have to. I...I don't have anything for you."

"That's ok. I don't need anything. Just knowing that you're safe, and alive, and _happy_ is gift enough. You're my best friend Kurt." There. Proof. Best friends. Not potential boyfriends or _husbands_. "I know, I know its really soon to say things like that but you are. I'm so glad I met you." His heart did a flip-flop as the words came out of the debonaire Blaine Warbler Anderson. "I know it's hard getting used to things here, but you're not alone. Everyone here loves you."

"I noticed. I actually signed some autographs today."

"Freshman who want to be you?"

"Seniors who want to be me." The two laughed together, until Blaine's hand brushed up against his leg. Purely on accident. He was reaching up to try to encourage Kurt to open his present. The brush had still happened. And it sent a flock of butterflies bulleting through Kurt's body. "I have to give you something Blaine. It's only fair."

"You haven't even seen what I got you."

"And what if it's something really expensive? What am I supposed to do then? I need to give you something before I see what it is and can actually feel guilty for not measuring up."

"Oh you'll have no problems measuring up."

"I have to give you something first. Just name it. What can I get you?"

"...You really want to give me something?"

"Yes."

"Sing with me."

"What?"

"We've known each other for four weeks and you know I sing, I know you sing, but we haven't actually sung _together_ yet."

"We practice-"

"A duet, Kurt." His cheeks warmed at the word. _Duet_. The cause of so much drama in his life. The thing that had bonded him and Rachel. That thing that _couples_ did. "Please, sing a duet with me."

"An actual duet?"

"Or just a song that we both sing. But just you and me. Just us. Please. Please sing with me."

"That's what you want?"

"That's what I want."

"...ok. What are we going to sing?"

"How about...OH! I know one you'd be great at. Come on.* Blaine barely hesitated to run over to his friends and whisper the song in their ears. "Trust me, you know this one."

"Oh I bet I do." The odds were just too good - the Warblers always sang pop tunes. From varying eras, but always pop. Or at least something that was so well known and, well, accessible that the judges were definitely going to adore them.

It took barely two bars before he knew what they were doing. "This song?" he whispered as Blaine skipped back over to his side. Yes, Blaine Warbler was so proud of himself that he was skipping.

"I don't care if Monday's blue, Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too!" he sang out perfectly. Absolutely flawlessly in fact.

"Thursday I don't care about you," they sang together. "Its Friday-" Blaine dared to shoot him a wink that made his stomach flip over. "I'm in love."

"Monday you can fall apart," Kurt echoed, his voice wavering more than he would have liked. "Tuesday Wednesday break my heart. Or Thursday doesn't even start - It's Friday-

"I'm in love."

The boys raised their voices up in chorus. It was beautiful. "Saturday - wait! And Sunday always comes too late, but Friday never hesitate."

"I don't care if Monday's black,

Tuesday Wednesday heart attack.

Thursday never looking back -

It's Friday I'm in love."

Kurt almost missed his moment. As Blaine danced around in the glow of the setting sun he almost found himself unable to remember that he was even supposed to be singing at all.

"Monday you can hold your head,

Tuesday Wednesday stay in bed.

Or Thursday watch the walls instead.

It's Friday I'm in love."

"Saturday - wait!" the boys sang to them. "Sunday always comes too late. But Friday never hesitate."

Blaine grabbed his hands and spun him round the room. He almost tripped over his own feet. It was sheer luck that he hadn't yet anyway. It wasn't the glow of the sun on Blaine's skin, or the way the light shone against his dark hair and made it look like there were little golden streaks throughout it.

"Dressed up to the eyes

It's a wonderful surprise

To see your shoes and your spirits rise.

Throwing out your frown

And just smiling at the sound

As sleek as a shriek

Spinning round and round.

Always take a big bite

It's such a gorgeous sight -

To see you eat in the middle of the night.

You can never get enough,

Enough of this stuff."

The joy was absolutely contagious. It felt like he could survive in this cage so long as he had this warbler beside him. A part of him wanted to resent Blaine, just a little bit, for bringing him here, but he couldn't. Not when Blaine had that perfectly dorkily beautiful smile on his face. Not when their hands were twined like this. And especially not when he did trip and Blaine's arm caught him and, without missing a single beat, spun him back into the fray.

"It's Friday I'm in love!"

His heart picked up its pace tenfold, it seemed. A butterfly raced through his insides. He'd known that he found Blaine attractive from the moment he met, but this wasn't pure attraction. This wasn't 'oh well this would be nice' or 'I could see myself dating him.' This thing he felt, it was so much more.

"I don't care if Monday's blue

Tuesday's grey and Wednesday too

Thursday I don't care about you

It's Friday I'm in love.

He was in love.

"Monday you can fall apart

Tuesday Wednesday break my heart

Thursday doesn't even start

It's Friday I'm in love."

As Blaine fell back onto a couch in a fit of giggles, as his hands slipped away, Kurt felt a warmth spread through his chest. A tingling sort of thing. "That was amazing!" someone declared.

"I think that was one of our best performances yet," Blaine said to a rolling murmuring of agreement. The smile never dropped from his features. Kurt felt his knees turning to jelly.

"I uhm, excuse me I er, my phone. Its buzzing. I need to take the call." He had never been so discombobulated in his life. His hands were shaking. It felt like everyone was watching him. Ok who was he kidding everyone _was_ watching him as he almost walked into the doorway trying to get out. His phone wasn't buzzing. But he was making a call.

"Kurt?" his super diva best friend said as she picked up. "I was really hoping you'd call please tell me that prep school is boring you and you want to come to our pre-sectionals party because it is seriously drab without you here. And you can totally bring all the cuties with you.

"Mercedes I have a _serious_ problem."

"What's wrong? Oh my god Kurt are they hurting you because if-"

"I'm in love!" he blurted. "I know, its stupid. Its so stupid, I shouldn't feel like this I _just_ met him a few weeks ago and I've never met another-well ok I've never met another guy who could like me and who I could like too but you know it's kind of the stereotype of me running after the first hot guy who could like me though I have run after plenty of boys who could never like me like that but this is different, we're supposed to just be _friends_ , he has made that very clear Mercedes. We're just friends. I can't be in love with him!"

"...oh my god." There was a bit of murmuring in the background. Right. The party. Which meant everyone heard her, which meant they were all watching. "No, no guys he's fine. He's more than fine. It's just a bit of diva drama. I'm going to take this outside." Kurt paced up and down the posh hallway, ready for Blaine to appear at any moment. Or any of them. Or anyone at all. No one could know about this. He couldn't lose Blaine. "Ok, no one's going to interrupt now. So. Love? Are you _sure_ it's love and not just a crush because that boy is _fly_. I'd scoop him up if he was into girls."

"Its not like before Mercedes. I mean, Finn and Sam - they're hot. And quite attractive, great to look at, and I do love hanging out with them and it would be very sweet if they would date me because I know they'd be good boyfriends. Just look at how they are with Quinn and Rachel. And those girls are _not_ easy to spend time with."

"Focus. How is this one different?"

"...ok, so, there's these little things, I notice. Like...like uhm, when I'm at home, by myself, I-"

"EW!"

"NO! I think about how I can see myself with him. Not just as a high school fling but...ten years from now. Which is _crazy_ because since we just met I have no way to be sure we'd even live well together I mean what if he has zero sense of style for all I know, I've never seen him out of uniform you know. What if he wants his entire room to be covered in tacky rainbows, or everything to be hot pink? I mean an accent here or there that's one thing but a whole room Mercedes."

"A hot pink room?"

"Yes! A hot pink room."

"This is your biggest concern?"

"Sort of? Its...its a part of it. Its all the little things combined. Because those add up. Big things you can see coming, right? But there's little things that you can be blind to until its too late and you're married and resenting a guy."

"Kurt. Woah. Slow down there. You have it bad for a boy, ok. That's completely understandable. He's a _sweetheart_. But we haven't even had our first _prom_ yet. Do not bring up words like marriage especially when you aren't even dating him. That's terrifying and definitely going to make things weird for both of you. Focus on right now. What do you want right now?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do. Just be honest."

"...I thought he was going to ask me out today."

"What happened instead?"

"He gave me...he gave me a gift. For that gift exchange." The teen pulled it from where he'd had it in his pocket and pulled the paper off of it.

"What is it?"

"Its a brooch. Of a raven. I think. Its some kind of bird."

"Maybe it's a Warbler. For their newest Warbler?"

"It's not a warbler but that could just be because he couldn't find one on short notice. That is a very specific and rather uncommon in the fashion industry bird. But Mercedes, what am I going to do? I can't ask him out. He's made it very clear that we're just friends."

"You're going to hold your head up high, wear that raven with pride, and be his very best friend until he's ready to be your boyfriend."

"What if he never wants to date me?"

"Then...then you're going to be his best friend and someday you'll get comfortable enough to just be friends? I don't know. How did you learn to live with Finn when you finally gave up on dating him?"

"Uhm. Well I just kind of stopped seeing him as a hero and that made him a bit less dateable. I mean, he's kind of a jerk sometimes."

"You realize everyone is kind of a jerk sometimes, right? Blaine's going to do it too, eventually."

"...Ok you're saying that, and I'm still feeling that I want to work through that with him."

"Well that's good. Maybe you two could actually be good for each other. Look, Kurt, just relax, take it slow. Be friends. Wait and see what happens. Don't scare him."

"That's the last thing I want to do."

"Kurt? Are you ok?" Blaine called from the doorway.

"Yeah! Uh, I gotta go Mercedes, let's message each other later."

"Ok," she replied.

"Tell everyone I miss them." He ended the call quickly before Blaine had a chance to get suspicious.

"Please don't tell me you're telling them our song list." It was a joke. Kurt knew it was a joke. He still felt himself giving that trademarked glare of his.

"No."

"Hey, I'm kidding. I know they wouldn't do anything against us like that." His hand reached up to brush Kurt's shoulder - no, no. Pat. That was definitely a friendly pat. "And I know you wouldn't either."

"I know, I'm sorry." He took in a deep breath to calm himself. "I'm just sick of hearing people accusing me of being a spy, or a traitor, or trying to ruin one or both of the choirs-"

"...Who's doing that?"

"Er, well, Jacob Ben Israel. I know he's a small time blogger but pretty much all of McKinley follows his videos. Even though everyone hates him. And no one cares about the glee club. I think they just like the drama."

"Why does he think you transferred?"

"He's changed his story every day this week. Yesterday it was because I'd found a whole choir of hot gay men and I had very eagerly jumped ship and sold everyone up the river."

"Are you going to tell them the real reason?"

"I can't. I mean, a lot of kids at school know about the 'threat' now but...if I actually made it official then at best they'll make fun of me for blowing something out of proportion or for lying to get attention, at _worst_...they'll find out his secret." He dared to catch Blaine's eyes. The beautiful teen didn't even seem to be blinking. He was just watching Kurt with an intensity that sent a shiver down his spine. "What?"

"You're really amazing, do you know that? Even after everything he's done, you're still protecting him. Its beautiful."

"It's just what I hope anyone might do for me, if I had been in his situation."

"You're amazing, Kurt." The teen stood taller and taller as Blaine reached for his hand. He would say yes, of course. If Blaine asked him out today. "I hope we're friends for a very, very long time." And clearly Blaine was never going to ask him out. This would have been the perfect place for a kiss, too. His first _real_ kiss. That he wanted. With the golden sun bathing over them as they stood kind of triumphant at the other side of a really trying time in his life in particular. As they both looked to a brand new chapter. Why not go into that chapter kissing?

Mercedes was right though. He knew it. He'd told the story to himself. That didn't mean he liked it. But he did want Blaine in his life a whole lot more than he wanted to pin him up against the wall and kiss him senseless. Or be pinned. Both were good options.

When Blaine turned back to the party with his right hand firmly grasping Kurt's right hand, the elder teen didn't dare correct him. Blaine's odd penchant for holding the wrong hand was absolutely adorable and Kurt was sure that with time it would go away. Enjoying this puppy-dog sweetness of his awkward handhold made it just a little bit easier to wait. He could bide his time and drop the hints in a few months. Especially if that meant they could hold hands like this without fear of anyone yelling at them for the boy-on-boy pda.


	13. It's a Perfect Day for Making Out

Epilogue: It's a Perfect Day for Making Ou **t**

It didn't matter how vanilla their kisses were. Each one brought waves of pure joy to the teens. They didn't need tongue (though it would be nice, it was too easy to mess up) or teases along the chin and neck (though Kurt was contemplating trying it, partly in the hopes of getting Blaine to try it back). Even these simple vanilla kisses had been built up by months of anticipation. That was enough, for the moment. Kurt felt his fingers curling into Blaine's perfectly pressed blazer. He could fix that later.

Blaine's fingers dared to trail into the side of Kurt's hair. For once, neither of them cared about that. It could be fixed later. They just focused on this feeling of what it was like to have their lips pressed together in just the way they'd always dreamed of. Kissing another man.

Man-kisses were most definitely not cherry or root beer or any of those other chapstick flavors marketed to 'cutesy girls' (or Hot Topic type girls - apparently they really liked their weird flavors there too, according to Tina). But it was soft. Yet strong. Neither of them cared how awkward it was, one half out of his chair the other bent over because he couldn't even be bothered to make sitting work. Kurt fell against the back of his chair as Blaine's hand grabbed onto his shoulder. His breath cut into his lungs unexpectedly. A sharp noise wheezed out of his nose. Blaine edged closer. So Kurt let his other hand dig right into his side. Their palms were still pressed up against each other's cheeks.

They were liable to knock the chair over and tumble to the ground. Kurt became aware of their situation first - seeing as he was the one in the tipping chair. But he didn't want to say anything. Speaking required, by necessity, them to stop kissing. Besides that, they would likely have to move. And while the couch was a safer place Kurt wasn't entirely sure he was ready for that.

Sure, _sure_ it was _just_ a couch. But couches had room for people to lay down. And when people laid down certain body parts came very close to contacting each other. And despite being rather mercilessly turned on just by the mere fact that he and Blaine were _kissing_ \- actually kissing! - he was not ready for all of the intensity and responsibility that came with those other sensations. Yes he'd dreamed of this. He'd dreamed of getting freaky with a man. And, on more than one occasion in his recent life, he'd hoped that man would be Blaine. There was a certain kind of commitment he associated with those sensations though.

So when the chair did tip over and he did find himself falling literally head over heels (or head-behind-heels, to be precise) and when Blaine tumbled down beside him, he couldn't help but be a little bit grateful.

But he did want to kiss Blaine again.

"I am so, so sorry are you ok? Please tell me I didn't hurt you!"

"I'm not a china doll," Kurt laughed as he rolled his body over. "Though this uniform will need ironed. But I think yours does too so we'll call that even." Blaine's arm curled around him to help him sit back up. Then, once he was there, with his eyes level with this beautiful teen, they both froze. Well. They'd finally done it. They'd kissed.

 _Now what_.

Were they supposed to talk about it? Most men probably wouldn't, and the thought of men talking about it would probably be just as weird. But they weren't most men. First of all, they were gay. That made things a bit different. Second of all, and more importantly, they both knew that the image of the stoic man who didn't talk about or even have feelings was stupid anyway.

Blaine didn't seem to be making any more moves. He was just as unsure as Kurt was. The initial adrenaline of his confession had passed and now here they were, on the floor, breathing on each other because they were so close...and nothing was happening.

So Kurt made the move. He leaned in and gave Blaine that kiss. Sweet, and light. Testing the waters. Begging for more but asking for Blaine to be gentle with him. They were both scared. Their friendship was taking that step they both wanted it to take but they both still knew, at the backs of their minds, that they could destroy themselves here. They could mess up and grow to resent each other. Or...They could work through any and all of those problems. The intense friendship that had bonded them so tightly together could remain for the rest of their lives. Blaine believed in true love. And in that kiss he could so fully believe that he had found his.

The kiss lingered for just a moment before it was over, but it also never fully broke either. Kurt didn't pull his face away from Blaine's. Instead he turned so that his lips were just a bit closer to Blaine's ear. "What does this mean, exactly," he whispered against the cheek.

"What does what mean?"

" _This_." Kurt carefully kissed him again. This time he leaned away so that they could see all of each other's faces. So he could know for certain and so Blaine could know for certain that this was real.

"I hope it means...that...I can be your boyfriend." Another kiss. This time - with Kurt's hands cupped around his face, pulling him in and holding their mouths together with such a strength that Blaine felt like he would never be scared again. Because he would have Kurt there beside him. "That's a yes?"

"That's a yes."

So they returned to their kisses. This time on the floor but Kurt was adamant about keeping himself in sitting position. Slow and steady. That was what he needed. He wanted this to be real and true and long lasting.

They stayed that way for what felt like an hour. It was only ten minutes. Their phones going off was what broke them up this time. Warbler practice. That was what the alarms were for. "We were supposed to be practicing," Blaine whispered.

"We were," Kurt replied.

"I don't think the judges will appreciate us kissing as much as I do."

"You have to be very in tune with a duet partner to make it flawless."

"Are you saying our duets weren't flawless before?"

"Oh they were. Now we're ready to take them to the next level." Kurt gave him one more promising kiss before hopping up to his feet. He made sure to offer his hand to Blaine to help him up. He'd have loved to walk to the group practice like this. Holding Blaine's hand - the one that was on the opposite side of his now-boyfriend's body. The way Blaine had held his hand four months ago on the day they met. Blaine let go, though. He had to. His blazer was riding up and his tie was popping out. They couldn't waltz into practice looking disheveled.

They both knew what everyone would think at the sight of that.

A silent part of each them wanted people to have those thoughts though. It would make it easier to announce their sudden coupledom. They wouldn't have to say it. Everyone would just _know_. But there was also a power to saying it out loud, especially when they had to confirm it to everyone else. Starting with the Warblers because they were here, then the New Directions. No, no family. Family then the New Directions. Kurt would have preferred telling his dad before _any_ other person but the Warblers were right here and he didn't want to act like they weren't together just for the sake of telling his dad first.

Before they left the room, Kurt dared to steal one more little kiss. Then he hurried away before Blaine could initiate another ten minute or more long chain of kisses that would have their friends seeking them out. "You forgot your bag!"

"Right!" He spun on his heels and scooped it up, not even worried about Pavarotti's...ok he couldn't even think about that right now. This was a good afternoon. Not a sad one. The jeweled box needed to be left behind because otherwise he was liable to pout instead of smile and that just wouldn't do. Not when he had a _boyfriend_. And a boyfriend that was worth having at that. "So for the song, it's not an actual duet, so...how are we going to divide up the lyrics?"

"Hmm. Well you should open it."

"I should?"

"Mmhm." They fell into sync as they crossed the school to meet the Warblers upstairs in the choir room. The cushy, well furnished choir room. By the time they made it up there, the both of them were humming a rough cut of which parts would go to who.

"Blow the candles out," they sang together as they walked into the room. "Looks like a solo tonight." The other boys hushed with their chatting to look up to them. "I'm beginning to see the light."

"Blow the candles out," Kurt crooned.

"Candles out," Blaine backed him up.

"Looks like a solo tonight-"

"Solo tonight."

Kurt felt the back of Blaine's hand brush up against his. He dared to take hold of it and link his fingers right in those empty spaces between Blaine's. When the hand entwined with his, Blaine felt his heart swell up. He loved this boy. Yes, yes it was really soon to feel that way. Just like he'd known they were best friends within the first week. He knew that he was in love. For the first time since his childhood, he felt like he was being accepted truly and fully. But more than that, he felt safe. Safe in the kind of way that even Dalton couldn't make him feel. Safe...in the freeing sort of way. Like a cage door had finally been opened and he could stretch his wings for the first time.

"But I think I'll be alright," they finished. Together.

"They're holding hands," he heard someone (Trent?) whisper.

"Finally!" Wes shouted as he stood up.

"We ran out of subtle songs for you to sing to each other literally last week!" David echoed. "We were beginning to think you'd _never_ figure it out!"

"...What?" Blaine stated flatly.

"...What?"

"What are we supposed to have figured out?"

"Oh, well, you know, the uhm, the obviousness of how great you sound together."

"We do sound good together. But you weren't talking about that were you?"

"Of course its what we were talking about," Wes replied. "Unless there's something else we should be talking about." Blaine was careful with his actions. He knew Kurt was fairly private. He knew how Kurt struggled with just letting people touch him. But their hands were linked. He had been allowed in. That privilege could just as easily be revoked.

"There is," Blaine breathed out. He looked over to his boyfriend. Kurt had fallen silent. His cheeks were as red as cherries.

"And that is?" Thad said, keeping his arms out to keep the room quiet as they started to try and break out into cheers.

"We're not going to be able to make it to tomorrow night's karaoke because we're going to Breadstix."

"...Why?"

"Because Kurt once told me that he always wanted to go on a date to Breadstix, just like everyone else. So that's where we're going tomorrow. To Breadstix. Just like all the other people in this town." He offered Kurt a bright smile when the teen turned to look at him. His lips parted as though he was trying to speak, but he didn't say a word. He just watched Blaine.

"Just so we're clear you did just say date, didn't you?"

"Yes I did."

"And also for clarification-"

" _Yes_. We're official now."

"It's about time!" Thad jabbed. In return, several of the boys jabbed at his shoulders.

"I know, I _know_! We should have gotten together back when Kurt-"

"He asked?"

"...told me he'd hoped the whole Valentine's day thing was about him."

"And you turned him _down_?" David whistled. "You are a very lucky boy."

"Kurt's special." Blaine bit on his lip. "And the thing about...well, dating in high school is that...people don't really marry high school sweethearts. And...and when you like someone as much as I like Kurt, it's just bad news to date if you aren't sure that it's going to last a long time. Because I don't want to break up. I don't want to ever not be a part of his life. I...I uh."

This was the time to pour out his feelings, right? His new boyfriend wasn't giving him any signals either way - and he was watching! He wasn't going to misstep again. He was going to get this right. And this was an appropriate moment to talk about his affections. Unless Kurt didn't feel the same intensity. In which case Blaine was _incredibly_ bad at reading signals.

Everyone was waiting on baited breath for him to reply, but he just barely gave them an uncomfortable smile as he squeezed Blaine's hand tighter. "A-and-" Blaine stammered, trying to fix whatever mistake he'd just made. "I'm...sorry that I didn't get here sooner. I want this to last." Still nothing but silence. All the other boys were feeling it too.

"Kurt, _say something_ ," Trent pressed. It was awkward and out of place but it did get a response. Kurt pressed the palm of his free hand to his face as it turned the color of a sunburn.

"I'm too happy I can't," he mumbled through his fingers. As Blaine registered what the words were, a deep sigh escaped his chest.

" _Oh_." Kurt knew he'd be embarrassed but he couldn't just let Blaine suffer any longer.

"Ok that's great, but did you _kiss_ yet," Thad pressed.

"Did we what."

" _Kiss_."

"I really don't see how that's any of your business."

"Oh come on, you really want us to believe that the two of you were alone busy becoming boyfriends and you didn't?"

"We _did_ but that doesn't-"

"YES!" Thad yelped, jumping up and pumping both fists in the air. Suddenly everyone was clapping _him_ on the back and passing around more congratulations. To Thad.

"What's going on!" Kurt called out as he snapped back to his reality.

"I won the bet!" Thad whooped, flipping out his cellphone and sending a call out. "I won the bet!" he shouted again. "They're together. You were wrong. Everyone was wrong. But I was right. I said the week before Regionals. Its the week before Regionals!"

"Who is that. You were betting on us? What!"

"Mercedes, from McKinley," Trent explained. "Back when you first met, we started a betting pool to see how long it would take until you got together. We thought Thad was crazy for putting his in this late in the year. The only one besides Mercedes who had a vote for later than Regionals was Peter, and he picked the last day of school because he said someone had to."

"No no no no no," Kurt started calling out. "No! Thad! You can't tell her! She'll tell everyone oh God what if Finn finds out before Dad. What if Dad finds out from Finn! No no _no_!" He broke away from Blaine to try and steal the phone, but they both knew the damage was already done. "We have to go. We have to get to the car shop before Finn runs in there and ruins this for me. You know he will. Especially because I kind of accidentally was the one who told when he and Rachel broke up."

"We have practice," Thad reminded him.

"You also had an illegal betting pool on us. You could get expelled for that. Rules were meant to be bent sometimes. I _have_ to be the one to tell my Dad. This is so important you really can't understand."

"I'm with Kurt," Blaine said. "Whether you guys like it or not, this is a really big deal. I'd love to be able to tell my dad about something like this."

"Just tell us one thing," Thad said. "Is that song you were singing the one we're doing for Regionals?"

"That is the song we picked, yes."

"Well, Blaine picked it," Kurt told them. "And I approved it. And..actually...the more I think about it the more I like it. It's a solo song, about putting someone who's hurt you in the past and getting on with your life without them." His fingers curled tighter around Blaine's. Just when the room was about to burst at the seams from the sheer joy of just them being together, Blaine went and made things even cuter.

"And we've helped each other do that."

"So its perfect for us to sing together."

"Because, this time, those old ghosts are definitely never going to haunt us again."

"Maybe this was a bad idea," someone said as the two gazed into each others' eyes. "Nothing is going to get done now. _And_ we'll all have to deal with the jealousy of those two being the only people who's allowed to have their favorite kissing buddy sitting next to them during school hours. It really isn't fair."

"We'll keep it tame," Kurt promised, stepping away from his boyfriend to cement that comment. Before anything further could be said on the subject, his phone went off. "...Its Rachel." As he held up his hand to silence the Warblers, he answered the phone. "Hello?"

" _I just heard a rumor that you got a boyfriend. And you didn't tell us first!"_

"Well, no one informed me that there was a betting ring going on despite this apparently involving absolutely everyone I know and am supposed to trust! I think we're even. Now, make sure that everyone you and Mercedes have spoken to swears that they will _not_ tell my Dad. If _anyone_ tells him before I do, I swear I'll-"

"You sure you can handle Kurt's temper?" David asked, giving Blaine a little push.

"Sure he's a bit sassy but, well, it's kind of cute," Blaine confessed.

"Do you think it'll still be cute when you two are fighting over toothpaste and hand towels?"

"We aren't going to argue about something _that_ stupid."

"You never know. I've seen married couples fight over far stupider things."

"...Wow, marriage? That is way too fast. We're just dating. Lets see where that goes first."

"But you love him."

"Shh!" Blaine held his hands up and glanced around, thankful that Kurt was still fighting with Rachel and everyone else was making side commentary to everything he said. "I don't think he's ready for that kind of pressure."

"Because Love is so much responsibility and what the two of you have now is too important to take that giant next step. Blaine, he loves you too. Don't wait until Christmas to give him permission to say it."

"...He doesn't need my permission to-"

"He is not going to say it without you. I know it and you know it. He's been so completely cautious about everything. More than you. We've been watching."

"That's really creepy."

"But helpful."

"No, it's just creep."

"Blaine, I need to get to the shop _now_ ," Kurt cut through, oblivious to what had happened. It was for the best. That creepiness piled on top of the betting would probably have set him over the edge.

"Coming!" the shorter teen said.

"You don't have to-"

"I don't have to come with you to tell your dad that we're now dating when apparently everyone in the world has been waiting for it, which probably means he was too."

"Oh please don't say that. Guys, you did not get my Dad to put bets on me did you?"

"No!" Thad exclaimed. "That would have been so great! Why didn't we think of that!"

"Come on, lets just go and not give them any more reason to cause drama," Blaine soothed, wrapping his arm around Kurt's shoulders and leading him to the door. "You and I both know they'll have plenty of fodder for the rest of high school soon enough anyway."


End file.
